Ep.9 Manjit K. Gill MBE | The truth about periods

In this episode, I'm joined by Manjit Gill MBE. Manjit K. Gill, is CEO and founder of the phenomenal charity, Binti International which is registered in the UK. Binti has a vision to create a world where all women have menstrual dignity. Manjit has amassed over 20 years of international business expertise and has been involved in 7 startups prior to Binti. It was her role as a volunteer mentor for a young lady in Kenya with the Cherie Blair Foundation that led her to start Binti when she found out that some women do not have access to menstrual products. Her mission is to create a huge, social impact, whilst generating a sustainable organisation. To provide basic menstrual products and education for girls and women across the world. Whilst dispelling stigmas, taboos and smash shame with periods. In the episode, we speak on how Manjit began her work on Binti and what inspired her to launch the charity. Having spent the majority of her career in Sales and Marketing, she was one day surprised by the fact that 'many women don't have access to periods products'. She shares how this fact moved her to launch Binti. Speaking on what drove her to further the conversation, she reflects on how the definition of periods is still incorrect in places such as the Oxford dictionary. She shares that 1 in 3 girls through the pandemic have not had access to menstrual products and speaks on her work in the UK to address this problem and how essential products are still inaccessible in a first-world economy like the UK. She shares how we can further educate ourselves on menstruation, and despite having sex education at young ages, how we're unable to still comfortably speak about it. Manjit has worked closely with women in India to move forward the 'taboo' conversation of periods. She speaks on the shame and sexual stigma that comes along with periods in many communities and how this miseducation leads to the conversation being swept to one side. We go on to talk about some incredible people that she's come across such as Arunachalam Muruganantham, also known as Pad Man. She shares the impact that this has had. Manjit goes on to tell me how she has overcome resistance from within her own family; the conversations that she's had to have and how she's approached many of them, including a story of how her own mother was apprehensive of her speaking on the Sikh channel about periods. With her family, she shares with me how involved her own children are in Binti and raising awareness. Binti is currently innovating education and helping communities all over the world with menstrual education and Manjit gives us insight into the campaigns that they're pushing. How she's making access to education to those in the developing world easier and initiatives to change the culture and understanding around periods. Manjit speaks on how she's able to 'keep going', building a sizable charity and how she's 'learned on the job'. She reflects on the learnings she's carried forward from her sales role. To find out more about Binti you can visit: https://bintiperiod.org/ Keep up with Binti on social here: https://www.instagram.com/binti.period/