NATALY BELEN MONTESINOS CANALES (BELEN)
PERU, 17
She/Her
Project: Yura Warmi
On vacation in Sullana in 2020, Belen befriended a young girl named Camila. Camila had been using unsanitary feminine products, as she could not afford new sanitary products. She was also unaware of the potential health risks these unsanitary products posed as rural Peruvian communities lacked adequate sexual health education. Belen knew how important it was for women to be aware of their health and to afford adequate care. In September 2021, Belen partnered with a Peruvian youth club, Ankalli Waytakuna Girl Up, to launch Yura Warmi – an initiative to educate girls in rural communities on sexual health, entrepreneurship and gender equality. Belen built a diverse network of inspirational women from numerous professions to lead career workshops and conversations about their challenges with gender equality and gender-based violence. In parallel, Belen is developing a solution to the environmental harm caused by traditional menstrual products. In November 2021, she officially registered Yura Warmi as a social enterprise to produce eco-friendly hygienic towels made from banana fiber. Yura Warmi approaches social and environmental justice from multiple angles by supporting farmers, making eco-friendly affordable sanitary products, and empowering young Peruvian women. In December 2021, the U.S. Embassy awarded Yura Warmi second place in the Girls for Change contest and granted funds to test their product and expand their workshops into more schools. Belen hopes to widely distribute her sanitary product in rural Peru and continue showing girls their value as agents of change.