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Eradicating menstrual poverty, one pad at a time
In collaboration with various non-governmental organizations, Taylor’s Residence launched the LaunchPad Project—a student-led initiative under our structured living program. The goal: to eliminate menstrual poverty among female refugees in Malaysia by providing access to reusable sanitary pads, along with menstrual hygiene and sex education.
Malaysia is home to approximately 170,000 refugees and asylum seekers, with women making up about 32% (over 60,000 individuals). For these communities, reusable sanitary pads o er a cost-effective and sustainable solution, helping to ease the financial burden of disposable products in already vulnerable living conditions.
In 2025, LaunchPad entered a new phase—LaunchPad 2.0. While our original mission supported Rohingya refugee women, LaunchPad 2.0 expands our impact to Orang Asli communities in Malaysia, where period poverty continues to be a silent struggle. This new phase focuses on access to menstrual hygiene, culturally sensitive education, and empowering local champions to drive long-term change. Our pilot project begins in Kampung Serendah, Ulu Selangor, with a focus on sustainable outreach, skills-building, and dignity restoration.
As UNICEF reports, "Refugee and stateless girls are especially at risk of poor menstrual hygiene due to lack of access to clean water, privacy, and sanitary products" (2022). These challenges similarly affect Orang Asli communities, making LaunchPad 2.0 a crucial extension of our mission.
We have rolled out LaunchPad in six distinct phases, each building upon the successes and learnings of the previous stage to continuously improve and expand its impact.
In collaboration with The Design School at Taylor’s University, we developed DIY guides for reusable sanitary pads and basic sex education materials, designed for underserved communities. These resources—available in multiple languages—have been widely adopted by Rohingya refugees and are now being introduced to the Orang Asli community through LaunchPad 2.0, ensuring more women and girls have the tools and knowledge to care for their health with dignity.
LaunchPad was launched. Through research and collaboration with refugees, we were able to prototype and develop reusable menstrual pads. We created and continuously improve our workshop program to teach trainers and refugees how to make the reusable pads. With the help of volunteers, we were able to produce and donate 500 reusable pads to the community.
refugees aided
workshops conducted
reusable pads donated
The pandemic caused a lockdown that presented challenges for our efforts to support the refugee community. To sustain our assistance to the refugee community, we created a multilingual printable tutorial that refugees could easily distribute. This tutorial enabled them to continue raising awareness about menstrual hygiene and taught them how to make their own reusable pads.
NGOs Collaborated
reusable pads donated
The Launchpad project made significant strides towards establishing a self-sustaining ecosystem focused on promoting menstrual hygiene and supporting refugee communities. These resources enabled anyone to start their own Launchpad program and make a positive contribution to their community. Our mission was to empower individuals and organisations to play an active role in addressing menstrual hygiene challenges and supporting those in need.
refugees trained as trainers
refugees aided
reusable pads donated
The Launchpad project aimed to empower refugee communities with a community-driven approach. We focused on creating a self-sustaining ecosystem for refugees to manage menstrual hygiene independently. Through this phase, our efforts included enhancing digital content and media resources for accessible menstrual hygiene education. With expanded networks of trainers and volunteers, we promoted sustainable practices and facilitated positive health outcomes.
In 2024, the Launchpad project entered an innovative phase focusing on empowerment through self-sustainability, signalling an important point in our effort to assist refugee communities. Building on the foundation of community-driven projects, this phase focuses on reskilling refugees in fundamental business and entrepreneurial skills.
refugees reskilled
cotton t-shirts donated for pad making
Pads were distributed among the refugees
Refugee women impacted
173 refugees trained
1000 refugees aided
CBOs, NGOs & partners collaborated
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Comfortable, clean & saves money.
It's good. Much more comfortable, I will try using it next period.
It will be much better than the usual clothes that I usually use.
In addition to providing essential knowledge and tools for managing menstrual health, Launchpad also equips refugee women with the skills to produce reusable sanitary pads, creating income-generating opportunities that promote economic independence.
“Partnering with Taylor’s Residence on the LaunchPad project enables us to extend our mission by providing 600 pieces of cotton for reusable sanitary pads, addressing menstrual hygiene among refugee women and girls, and reinforcing our commitment to sustainable practices.
Taylor’s Residence has transformed into an award-winning community builder, with a focus on imparting crucial life skills to its residents.
