Viega Foundation Supports PERIOD. on Menstrual Hygiene Day and Beyond

Viega, a global leader in press connection and piping systems solutions, is stepping beyond the jobsite to support a different kind of infrastructure: dignity, health, and access for women and girls. Through the Viega Foundation, the organization is helping address an often-overlooked issue: period poverty, which affects women and girls who lack consistent access to menstrual products or menstrual health education. 

To recognize Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28th, Viega hosted an educational event for employees featuring Damaris Pereda, deputy director of PERIOD, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing menstrual health education and ending the stigma and inequities associated with menstruation. The event highlighted the challenges of period poverty and the importance of expanding access to menstrual products and education.

Since 2024, the Viega Foundation has supported PERIOD. and its efforts to advance education and political change. Pereda shared, “In the U.S. alone, nearly one in four students struggles to afford period products. Period poverty isn’t a distant problem – it’s happening in our schools, communities and neighborhoods. Our goal is to change that and create menstrual equity: the affordability, accessibility and safety of menstrual products for all people supported by laws and policies that acknowledge and address menstruation.”

With support from the Viega Foundation, PERIOD. developed and launched an educational curriculum which was piloted in Miami, Florida, in 2025. Now, the project has entered into a second phase with plans to scale and expand the program to additional communities, including Kansas and Colorado—regions where Viega North America employs the vast majority of its people. The program educates young people about menstrual health and the broader impact of period poverty through schools, community centers, and nonprofit youth organizations. In Kansas, the Viega Foundation also sponsored a packing event in which 800 menstrual products kits were assembled and prepared for distribution in local communities.

“My motivation is to be a voice and an ally. As a single dad, I’ve been closely involved in my 17-year-old daughter’s life. We’re fortunate to have access to quality healthcare, including feminine products, but that is not everyone’s reality. What better way to help raise awareness of this issue and ensure women – both within our organization and beyond – feel supported. It’s what Viega is all about — helping create a more inclusive workplace and greater equity in the workplace and beyond.”

Viega Foundation’s COO, Medje Prahm, adds: “Preventing period poverty is an important factor in ensuring that young women have equal access to education and can participate in society fully. We are proud to be PERIOD.’s partner in their efforts to raise awareness of period poverty and expand access to menstrual hygiene products for all.”

For more information about Viega North America and the Viega Foundation, visit viega.us