The impact of Pixie Cup in Kenya: Interview with Riley Snyder

If you know anything about Pixie Cup, you know that we have a heart to reach the whole world and offer freedom to all women in the form of a Pixie Cup.

We get to hear the messages of lives changed, and see pictures of the girls that receive our free cups and are able to work and go to school while on their period… but we want you to be able to experience this, too! After all, it was your choice to purchase a Pixie Cup that provided these girls with period freedom. We could not do this without you.

So, today we are thrilled to share with you a little glimpse of the big blue sky that is the impact of our Buy One Give One program! We hope you enjoy this interview with Riley Snyder, author of Riley Unlikely and founder of an incredible program called Generation Next that is focused on educating children in Kenya!

Can you tell us a little bit about your story?

“I started Generation Next after my first trip to Kenya when I was 13 years old. While I was there, I was helping first and second graders learn English and, while I was helping them, each of my students – there were 10 at my table – used one short pencil there were no extra writing utensils in the classroom. Most kids can’t afford to go to school so the fact that they were sitting in a classroom without the equipment to learn was where I first got started. Our organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides students in Kenya with school supplies, young girls with hygiene supplies, and we also have a school in Kenya that provides a free education as well as a feeding program for over 240 students.”

How does menstruation affect the lives of women in Kenya?

“Many young girls who get the (rare) opportunity to go to school have a hard time staying in school while on their period. Most do not have the resources to take care of their monthly cycle in a clean and healthy way. Most girls use rags (to staunch the period flow). Many girls will resort to prostitution to get money so that they can buy pads. But, oftentimes the girls will never be given the money or they will become pregnant and will not go back to school.”

How have women’s lives changed since they received menstrual cups?

“Many girls’ lives look different because of the Pixie Cups. The cup allows girls to not have to worry about their period and is keeping them in school.”

Were there any religious or mental challenges that people had to overcome before using the menstrual cups? Was it a comfortable switch for them?

“The biggest question/issue was that girls were worried about is the fear of losing their virginity when using the cup. Most girls in Kenya, and in the village that we are in, have never even used a tampon or seen a tampon so introducing the cup to them was a challenge at first. But many could see, once we taught them how to use it, how it could change their period for the rest of their lives. At first, many were uncomfortable with the idea so our organization also provides reusable sanitary napkins so that, while learning to use the cup, they have the option to switch out while they got used to using the cup more frequently.”

Can you tell us a little about your book?

“I wrote Riley Unlikely when I was 19 years old and it tells the story of how God was able to use one of the most unlikely people to help grow his kingdom. It starts with my first trip to Kenya when I was 13, and goes through the last 10 years of growing an organization at a young age. It also addresses the challenges that were presented along the way – not just within the organization but also within my personal life – and gives readers a real and raw view of what it’s like to follow Jesus. He can use all of us and has a purpose and plan for each of us, but it will always be up to us to say yes when He calls.”

We are so thankful to be able to partner with Riley and Generation Next to share the freedom of period cups with women who never had the chance to live every day with the same amount of freedom… EVERY day of the month.

Do you know anyone whose life has been changed by a menstrual cup? We want to hear your story!! Send us a message or comment below!