Our Mission
We exist to end period poverty by placing period products into the hands of women and girls everywhere, from local shelters to crisis zones worldwide, so even in their worst moments, they’re not alone.
Our Story
“In war or disaster, we stand beside them with period products and dignity.”
— Ceylan Rowe, founder of Fihri Foundation
The quake lasted 45 seconds; the hope it awakened hasn’t faded.
When Ceylan Rowe, founder of the Fihri Foundation, was just 17 and visiting family in Turkey, the ground beneath her feet began to shake. The 1999 earthquake lasted only 45 seconds, but those seconds would shape her understanding of what people need most when everything falls apart. While thousands lost their lives and entire communities were destroyed, survivors showed incredible resilience, rebuilding from nothing with unwavering determination.
In the aftermath, Ceylan witnessed something profound: families living in emergency tents, supporting each other through unimaginable loss. She saw communities come together, neighbors caring for neighbors, and the extraordinary strength of people who refuse to give up. Those images of human resilience stayed with her forever.
That teenage survivor grew up to become a mother, an advocate and an entrepreneur. But she carried with her a deep understanding of what it means to lose everything and the power of people coming together to help rebuild.
Years later, working in women's advocacy, Ceylan discovered something that connected her past to her purpose: during disasters like the one she survived, women were being forced to use pieces of tent fabric to manage their periods. The very shelters meant to provide safety were being sacrificed by women desperate for dignity. In that moment, everything clicked. She realized she had the power to solve this invisible crisis.
When she then heard that eighth grade girls in her own Massachusetts community were teaching younger students to make period pads from toilet paper, Ceylan knew her calling. Whether it's an earthquake or poverty, the need is the same and so is the opportunity to help.
She had survived disaster. She understood crisis. She knew the power of people who care. Most importantly, she knew that when disaster strikes, periods don't stop but hope doesn't have to stop either.
The Fihri Foundation was born from that hope.
