By Samantha Simon
[email protected]
‘A Look into Period Poverty’, a short film produced by the Antiguan non-profit, Scrub Life Cares, was chosen as one of the films featured at the 2023 American Public Health Association’s Short Film Festival.
Founder of Scrub Life Cares, Tanya Ambrose, explained that the effort to create a documentary began long before the non-profit was born in November of 2020.
The micro-documentary focuses on the plight of period poverty and how it affects women, especially in Antigua and Barbuda.
It was written and directed by Chloé Ambrose, alongside narrator Malaica Joseph, and produced by Zea Wiltshire and Jamaine Semple.
The short film was selected from a field of over one hundred thousand entries, despite almost not being submitted, as it was uploaded just minutes before the deadline for submissions.
Following the screening of the film, it received a great deal of support, with medical practitioners who viewed it offering to contribute to an extended version.
The inspiration for the micro-documentary stemmed from the taboo surrounding the discussion of menstrual cycles, as well as the struggle of period poverty that many individuals go through locally, regionally and internationally.
Scrub life Cares hopes to destigmatise menstruation, advocating for affordable or free menstrual products, and promoting policies that ensure equitable access to these necessities through their continued work and this documentary.
Period poverty is a pervasive and often overlooked challenge affecting individuals who menstruate.
It refers to the inability to access or afford menstrual hygiene products, leading to unmet menstrual needs and potential health risks.
This issue is rooted in socioeconomic factors, where individuals, particularly those in low-income communities, struggle to allocate funds for essential menstrual items like pads or tampons, sometimes being forced to sacrifice these products in favour of other expenses.
Scrub Life Cares continues its work with educating the public, not only on menstrual health issues, but also the topic of consent and body autonomy, health and education about the human body, working together with schools and other organisations to achieve the goal of ‘No Person left Behind.’
The film will be available officially to the public today across Scrub Life Cares’ social media pages, and they hope to have it picked up by a streaming service to expand its reach to as many individuals as possible.
