WASH United

What WASH United does

WASH United is a Berlin-based non-profit organization (gGmbH) founded in 2011 that focuses on menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) education globally. Originally rooted in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), the organization pivoted to MHH to address challenges faced by an estimated 500 million women and girls worldwide, including limited product access, lack of information, stigma, and social exclusion. Its core offering is the Period Education Guide—a group-based, interactive-storytelling curriculum for adolescent girls (ages 9-17)—available in four regionally adapted versions (Ruby's World for South Asia in 9 languages, Rosie's World for Sub-Saharan Africa in 8 languages, plus Latin America and MENA editions) totaling 30+ language and regional versions. Since 2018, this Guide has been used by 700+ implementing organizations across 50+ countries to educate 3.1 million girls, with 400,000 educated annually. In 2024, WASH United migrated the Guide to its new yes.period online platform and expanded coverage to boys and caregivers across 34+ languages; in 2026 it launched Ellas Welt for boys in Germany as its first Global North product.

The organization runs two complementary engines: the yes.period education platform and the annual Menstrual Hygiene Day campaign (initiated 2014, celebrated May 28), which in 2025 engaged 1,350+ partners, generated 25,000+ media coverage pieces, and reached 971 million people—approximately one-eighth of the world's population. WASH United also provides supporting resources (Resource Book, Training of Trainers Manual, MEL Toolkit) and offers customization for large-scale government and corporate programs, including a flagship partnership with the Punjab Government of India covering 3,600+ schools and 340,000 girls, and a multi-year corporate partnership with P&G (Always/Tampax). The revenue model is donations-and-grants based, with educational content provided free to implementing partners in exchange for annual impact-data surveys; no pricing is charged to end users. Customers include implementing NGOs, governments, and corporate partners, with adolescent girls, boys, and caregivers as the end beneficiaries. The organization is managed by Thorsten Kiefer and Sören Bruhn, and operates with 11-50 employees from its Berlin headquarters at Fürbringerstraße 7.

Name

WASH United

Legal name

WASH United gGmbH

Website

https://wash-united.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WASH United is a Berlin-based non-profit that develops free, regionally adapted menstrual health education guides and runs the global Menstrual Hygiene Day campaign, serving 700+ implementing partners across 50+ countries and educating 400,000 girls annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Menstrual Health Education

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

WASH & Public Health (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) (BPADAIAG)

Keywords

• Menstrual health education
• Menstrual hygiene advocacy
• Period education curriculum
• Menstrual hygiene campaigns
• Water sanitation hygiene

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a non-profit organization based in Berlin, WASH United relies on donations, grants, and partnerships to fund operations. The organization offers its educational resources free of charge to implementing partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WASH United develops and distributes free menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) educational content and capacity-building resources for organizations, governments, and educators worldwide. Its core products are the Period Education Guide (MHM Education Guide) and the yes.period online platform, which deliver group-based, culturally contextualized period education to adolescent girls (and increasingly boys and caregivers) in 34+ languages and four regional versions.

Product overview

WASH United is a Berlin-based non-profit that offers a portfolio of menstrual health and hygiene education products and platforms. The core offering includes the Period Education Guide (MHM Education Guide), available in four regional versions (Ruby's World for South Asia, Rosie's World for Sub-Saharan Africa, and versions for Latin America and Middle East/North Africa) with 20+ language options, all now hosted on the yes.period platform. The company also operates the global Menstrual Hygiene Day campaign platform and has developed Ellas Welt, a period education solution specifically for Germany (Global North). Since 2026, WASH United expanded to include guides for boys and caregivers alongside the original girls-focused curriculum. The organization provides supporting resources including a Resource Book, Training of Trainers Manual, and Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Toolkit. Educational solutions are used by over 700 partners in more than 50 countries who have educated more than 3.1 million girls since 2018.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• yes.period: Online education platform offering free, unbranded menstrual health education materials in 34 languages for parents, educators, and caregivers.
• Ellas Welt
• Menstrual Hygiene Day
• Ruby's World
• Rosie's World

Products and services

• Period Education Guide (MHM Education Guide) A group-based training guide enabling organizations worldwide to deliver period education to girls ages 9-17. The guide provides essential knowledge about bodies, strengthens confidence, and creates community. Available in regional versions including Ruby's World (South Asia), Rosie's World (Sub-Saharan Africa), Latin America & Caribbean, and Middle East & North Africa, with 30+ language options. Hosted on the yes.period platform since 2024.
• Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) A global movement initiated by WASH United in 2014, celebrated annually on May 28 to raise awareness and catalyze action on menstrual health and hygiene. WASH United develops the campaign strategy, provides free campaign materials, offers capacity-building, tracks results, and engages key actors including UNICEF, the World Bank, governments, and NGOs. Reached close to one billion people globally during MH Day 2025.
• yes.period An online education platform developed with partner Splash that hosts the Period Education Guide collection. Offers free, unbranded period education materials in 34+ languages for parents, educators, and caregivers to provide age-appropriate menstrual health education. Includes guides for girls, boys, and caregivers.
• Ellas Welt WASH United's first period education solution for the Global North, specifically developed for Germany. Addresses the fact that one in five girls in Germany doesn't know what's happening when she gets her first period. Includes guides for girls and, since 2026, a guide for boys.
• Ruby's World The MHM Education Guide for South Asia, developed together with teachers and girls in India through a user-centered design approach. Available in 9 languages: English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Tamil, and Telugu.
• Rosie's World The MHM Education Guide for Sub-Saharan Africa, adapted from Ruby's World through a user-centred design approach in partnership with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from WAGGGS. Available in 8 languages: Amharic, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Hausa, Kanuri, and Swahili.
• Supporting Resources (Resource Book, Training of Trainers Manual, MEL Toolkit) Additional resources provided with the MHM Education Guide: The Resource Book contains further information on menstruation, answers to common questions, and expert tips. The Training of Trainers Manual provides guidance for contexts requiring formal trainer preparation. The Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Toolkit provides tools to capture and assess programme results.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.1 million+ girls educated since 2018
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Punjab Government (India)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Developed Menstrual Hygiene Curriculum for adolescent girls in Punjab government schools. The initiative covers all 23 districts, benefiting 3.4 lakh girl students from Classes VI to X in 3,600+ schools. Uses interactive storytelling in Punjabi with trained teachers.
• P&G (Always and Tampax brands)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026Partnership launched 'Flow With a Glow' on World Menstrual Hygiene Day to address period education gap. Supports WASH United's yes.period online education platform with free, unbranded materials in 34 languages. Extends P&G's decade-long commitment to #PeriodFriendlyWorld.
• SplashcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partner in creating the yes.period platform to improve access to group-based period education and help create a supportive environment for girls.
• Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from WAGGGSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with WAGGGS to test and adjust the Rosie's World Guide for Sub-Saharan African context using user-centred design approach.
• UNICEFflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerKey actor engaged in Menstrual Hygiene Day campaign coordinated by WASH United.
• World BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerKey actor engaged in Menstrual Hygiene Day campaign coordinated by WASH United.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WaterAid: Major international WASH nonprofit operating in dozens of countries with hygiene-education programming. Comparable in non-profit mission, government and multilateral engagement, and global advocacy model.
• Splash: Seattle-based WASH nonprofit focused on clean water access; an explicit long-term strategic partner of WASH United that co-developed the yes.period platform. Highly comparable in mission, operating model, and partner ecosystem.
• Simavi: Dutch NGO running WASH and menstrual health programs in Africa and Asia with strong education components. Comparable in non-profit model, geographic focus, and menstrual health education mission.
• Days for Girls: Global nonprofit providing menstrual hygiene products and education to girls in 140+ countries. Directly comparable as a menstrual-health-focused organization combining education content with field-level implementation.

Emerging players

• Irise International: UK-based charity focused on period poverty and menstrual health education in East Africa. Comparable as a smaller menstrual-health education nonprofit operating schools-based programs in similar geographies.
• The Pad Project: US-based nonprofit funding menstrual health education and pad distribution globally. Smaller scale but directly comparable mission and education-led operating model.
• AFRIpads: Social enterprise manufacturing and distributing reusable menstrual pads across Sub-Saharan Africa with strong education components. Comparable as a menstrual-health organization with both product and education offerings in WASH-adjacent markets.

Broad incumbents

• Population Services International (PSI): Large global health nonprofit with significant menstrual health programming across multiple countries. Comparable as a major global health organization with established government and donor relationships in the same thematic space.
• UNICEF WASH Programme: UN agency running the world's largest WASH programming portfolio, including menstrual hygiene. Comparable as a flagship MH Day partner and as a global menstrual health agenda-setter, though vastly larger in scale.

Others

• Mann Global Health: Consultancy and research organization focused on menstrual health market shaping, policy, and impact measurement. Comparable as a thematic peer in the MHH ecosystem, supporting evidence-based advocacy that complements WASH United's education work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WASHUnited
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1702103
• Instagraminstagram.com/washunited/?hl=de
• Xx.com/WASHUnited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WASH United