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Donating Menstrual Cups...

Often women ask why agencies aren't providing menstrual cups to women instead of cloth pads or disposable products.

Menstrual cups are small, so won't take up as much space in donation shipments.
They don't require underpants, and can be worn for longer lengths of time.
They don't produce waste, can be more easily cleaned than cloth pads.

On the surface it does seem like a much better idea.  But there are some other points to consider.

They will break the hymen.  This would not be appropriate for many cultures.
They can more easily introduce bacteria and other nasties into the vagina if they are not properly cleaned.
They can take time to get the hang of, and these women will not have access to internet support groups.
Some women find a particular brand of cup does not work well for them, so need to try other cups - this would not be possible.
Cups come in 2 sizes, even if only one particular age group was targetted, they may only be able to use that size for a few years.

While we don't like to think about it, there is also the other (though hopefully less likely) reason cup use would not be possible, and that is  infibulation (female genital operation where the labia is sewn closed to cover the vaginal opening).

Also when cloth pad donations are sent to countries as part of aid packages, these are often donated by women sewing cloth pads specifically for this purpose.  And purchasing menstrual cups would not be an affordable option for them.
 

In situations where it is possible to donate menstrual cups though, this could be a very useful alternative.