Days for Girls International, founded by Celeste Mergens in 2008, is a non-profit organization
that provides educational and economic opportunities to women and girls in developing countries
by creating reusable and sustainable feminine hygiene products.

Celeste Mergens visited orphanages in Kenya, where girls were sitting on cardboard boxes in
rooms, isolated and alone for days on end during their menstrual cycles.

The organization’s motto is “turning periods into pathways.” Life does not stop for me when I am
on my menstrual cycle. Feminine hygiene products are easily accessible to me, and I am still able
to surf, golf, and attend school.

Unfortunately, the same is not true for so many others. According to American University, period
poverty affects more than 500 million people worldwide. Entire economies, societies, and systems
are impacted because of a lack of resources or education.

Days for Girls not only distributes menstrual kits to all corners of the globe, but it also provides
educational resources to reduce the stigmatization behind periods.

In my first year of high school, I joined our chapter when I learned about this initiative to achieve
menstrual equity and decided to help wage this war against the stigma surrounding periods. I do
not think anybody should miss school, or work, or be unable to engage in their community because
of a physiological occurrence. I am also dedicated to decreasing and eventually eliminating the
gender gap that’s due, in part, to period poverty.

The Days for Girls Chapter at my high school meets every week to hand-make reusable pads. In
fact, we are just one-step in the assembly-line process of creating and distributing the products. I
was named President of the club in my junior year due to my activism, dedication, and commitment
to the mission. Over the past four years, the club has worked with a local women’s group in La
Mesa to exchange fabric and materials. The products reach girls in over 145 countries, including
Kenya, Nepal, and Mexico. I have led over 20 members to create over 650 kits since I joined.
The DFG Pad is 100% sustainable. Absolutely none of our fabric or materials go to waste. The
scraps make blankets for homeless people, and every aspect of the cloth serves a purpose, whether
it is lining the actual pad or tying the products into organized quantities that are then sent to the
next level of preparation.

Due to the club’s comprehensive efforts, I earned the California State Seal of Civic Engagement
in 2023. In October 2023, I received a Coronado Distinguished Citizen by Coronado City Council
Member Carrie Downey for the positive contributions I have made for women and girls worldwide.

I also received a Certificate of Recognition from Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner in September of
2023 and was the recipient of the Younger Leader Award for Boerner’s annual Women of Impact
event.

Continuing past my high school career, I hope to found a Days for Girls chapter at whichever college
I attend and spread awareness about menstrual equity and decrease the stigma behind periods.
Although this organization currently operates on an incredible international scale and positively
affects the lives of over three million people worldwide, there is room for growth. As of the end
of 2022, there were 727 Days for Girls chapters, teams, and clubs in 31 different countries.
However, I believe menstrual equity can benefit many more with the help of high schools and
college campuses.

I currently manage my chapter’s social media accounts, and I believe even more people can be
educated about this mission through online engagement, especially among teenagers and young
adults.

I plan on attending a four-year university and majoring in either English or journalism to prepare
me for a career in the journalism industry.

I wish to spread awareness and information about menstrual equity and other issues that are not as
well-known to the public.

My dream is to visit the orphanages where Days for Girls products are being distributed and
document these incredible stories of empowerment despite adversity.

I hope my actions as Club President and my future efforts for this organization will carve pathways
and open doors for women and girls living all around the world.

Soroptimist International of Coronado congratulates you, Bella.

Bella will use her monetary award for Pro Kids: First Tees of San Diego.