Today we’d like to introduce you to Deidra Mwalimu.
Hi Deidra, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story began long before I founded Network of Women NOW. I grew up in Mississippi, and at 15 years old, I experienced a medical procedure and treatment that ultimately left me unable to have children. At that age, I did not fully understand what was happening to my body or the long-term consequences. As I grew older, that experience shaped how I thought about girls, women, health education, informed decision-making, and the importance of understanding and advocating for our own bodies.
But my journey wasn’t a straight line from that experience to starting an organization. I lived life. I raised a family, built a career, continued my education, experienced setbacks, and reinvented myself more than once. Over time, I began to recognize that many of the experiences I had lived through could actually be used to help other women and girls.
In 2020, I founded Network of Women NOW. What started as a desire to empower women and girls gradually developed into a much more focused mission around reproductive health education, menstrual health and hygiene, self-awareness, and dignity.
That work led to the creation of our EmpowerED Hygiene Initiatives, where we provide age-appropriate education for girls and boys about puberty, hygiene, menstrual and reproductive health, body awareness, respect, and knowing when to seek help. I became increasingly convinced that giving someone a product is helpful, but giving them knowledge can change how they navigate their lives.
Eventually, that work took me beyond the United States and ultimately to Rwanda, where I am now developing Network of Women NOW’s work and partnerships. The vision has continued to grow. We are looking not only at education and access to menstrual products, but also at sustainability and economic empowerment—including our vision to eventually produce reusable menstrual products locally while creating employment opportunities for women.
When I think about how I got here, I realize that so much of my life has been about turning experiences into purpose. I could never have imagined at 15 that my journey would eventually take me from Mississippi to working with women and girls internationally. But today, I understand that I didn’t have to erase the difficult parts of my story to move forward. I could build something meaningful from them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it has not been a smooth road. One of the greatest challenges has been building an organization with limited financial resources while trying to respond to very real needs in the communities we serve. Expanding internationally has also meant learning new systems, building relationships, understanding different cultures, and earning trust.
For example, here in Rwanda, I have had a vision of producing affordable reusable menstrual products locally and creating employment opportunities for women, but having the vision does not mean you automatically have the funding, equipment, or infrastructure to make it happen.
Those challenges actually strengthen my motivation. They remind me of the women and girls we serve who also have dreams and potential but may not have access to the resources they need. If I can continue finding ways forward despite those limitations, I can help create opportunities for them to do the same.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Network of Women NOW is an international organization focused on empowering women and girls through education, self-awareness, and sustainability. Our work and partnerships have extended across the United States and countries including Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, India, Nepal, and Belize, allowing us to address women’s and girls’ needs across different cultural and community contexts.
A major part of our work is the EmpowerED Hygiene Initiatives, where we provide age-appropriate education around menstrual and personal hygiene, reproductive health, body autonomy, self-worth, and healthy decision-making.
Our impact is tangible. In Louisiana, we provided hygiene education to more than 1,500 girls and boys through the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, and we have continued expanding our work into other communities. In Rwanda, we are working directly with students and schools while developing culturally relevant educational resources and sustainable menstrual health solutions.
What I am most proud of is that we have moved beyond simply distributing menstrual products. We ask, “What does this girl need to understand about herself so that she is better prepared for life?” That means educating girls while also engaging boys, women, families, schools, and communities.
What sets us apart is our holistic approach. We connect education with sustainable solutions, economic empowerment, partnerships, and advocacy. In Rwanda, for example, our vision includes locally producing reusable menstrual products while creating economic opportunities for women.
And we cannot do this work alone. We are actively inviting corporations, foundations, community organizations, and individual sponsors to invest in this work. Sponsorship can help us reach more students, provide educational resources and menstrual products, expand our programs, and build sustainable opportunities for women.
We are not simply asking people to fund a program—we are inviting them to invest in the potential of women and girls and become part of creating measurable, lasting change.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is making sure another girl does not have to learn the importance of her voice the way I did.
As a teenager, decisions were made about my reproductive health that permanently changed the course of my life. At that age, I did not have the knowledge, confidence, or understanding to fully question what was happening to my own body. I cannot change that experience, but I can decide what I do with it.
That is why it is so important to me that women and girls understand their value and have the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about their bodies and their lives.
That is really the heart of Network of Women NOW. We turn that purpose into action through education, advocacy, partnerships, and sustainable programs. Whether we are addressing menstrual and reproductive health, body autonomy, self-worth, or economic opportunity, our role is to help women and girls gain the knowledge, resources, and confidence to make informed choices and advocate for themselves.
For me, this work is not simply a profession or an organization I founded. It is deeply personal. I turned something that changed my life into a reason to help change someone else’s.
And I invite others to become part of that change. Whether you are a corporation, foundation, community organization, policymaker, educator, or individual supporter, there is a place for you in this work. Invest your resources, expertise, influence, or time. When we invest in a girl’s knowledge, dignity, and voice, we are not simply addressing a need today—we are expanding what is possible for her tomorrow.
Pricing:
- Sponsor One Girl – $25 USD: Provides menstrual and personal hygiene education, learning materials, and menstrual hygiene resources.
- Sponsor 10 Girls – $250 USD: Provides the complete EmpowerED educational experience and resources for 10 girls.
- Sponsor 50 Girls – $1,250 USD: Provides the complete EmpowerED educational experience and resources for a group of 50 girls.
- Emergency Menstrual Hygiene Kits – Emergency menstrual hygiene kits for schools and organizations are available at approximately $28.75 USD for a 10-pad kit, $51.75 USD for a 20-pad kit, and $120.75 USD for a 50-pad kit.
- Corporate & Institutional Sponsorships – Customized opportunities are available to support education, reusable menstrual products, community programming, women’s economic empowerment, and the international expansion of Network of Women NOW.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.networkofwomennow.org
- Instagram: @networkofwomennow
- Facebook: @networkofwomennow
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@networkofwomennow1026
