A landmark collaborative effort to address long-overlooked barriers facing female athletes across the Caribbean is taking shape, following a high-level discussion between government minister Dwayne George and Tanya Ambrose, founder and CEO of public health non-profit Scrub Life Cares. Centered on framing women’s sports participation through a public health lens, the initiative targets pervasive gaps in support for competitive and recreational female athletes navigating menstrual health challenges that often undermine athletic performance, long-term well-being, and equitable access to sports opportunities.
Ambrose, a certified FIFA Safeguarding Officer with years of experience advocating for athlete welfare, designed the multi-pronged programme to dismantle systemic stigma and practical barriers that have forced generations of female athletes to compete without adequate resources or institutional understanding of their unique physiological needs. The first core pillar of the scheme delivers specialized reproductive and sexual health training for coaches, team managers, and sports administrative staff, teaching them to recognize common menstrual-related hardships ranging from severe cramping to irregular cycles, and implement supportive, non-judgmental policies that accommodate athletes’ needs rather than penalize them.
The second pillar eliminates cost and access barriers by distributing free, high-quality menstrual hygiene supplies directly to athletes, alongside custom-fitted sports tights and supportive sports bras, all funded through targeted grant allocations to ensure no participant faces financial barriers to full engagement. The official national launch of the programme is scheduled for December 20, 2026, in Antigua and Barbuda, with a phased rollout that will first run pilot schemes in no fewer than four public secondary schools to embed menstrual equity support for teen athletes before scaling to elite national teams.
The innovative model has already attracted cross-border interest, with at least three separate Caribbean nations and one European country reaching out to Ambrose to explore adapting the framework for their own domestic sports systems. During their recent meeting, Minister Dwayne George publicly commended Ambrose for her trailblazing work advancing menstrual equity in sports, and formally committed the full resources of his ministry to provide regulatory, logistical and promotional backing to ensure the programme delivers on its goals for local athletes. The accompanying photo captures Ambrose alongside Jada Benjamin, a celebrated senior national footballer from Antigua and Barbuda who has been a vocal advocate for better athlete welfare for local women’s teams.