LocationsTungga Dewi: Championing Reproductive Health and Environmental Sustainability
December 5, 2024
Tungga Dewi, Co-Founder of Perfect Fit
As the Co-Founder of Perfect Fit, Tungga Dewi started building it in 2018 with two core missions: improving menstrual health education and addressing the environmental impact of menstrual products.
Tungga's work emphasizes reshaping the menstrual health narrative in Indonesia, tackling taboos and stigma about women, and promoting women's empowerment. Before building Perfect Fit, Tungga previously worked with Kopernik Indonesia, where her experiences inspired her commitment to menstrual health as a platform for broader discussions on women's rights and the climate crisis. Her vision includes expanding access to affordable menstrual products across Asia and driving systemic change in menstrual health education.
During the interview, she said that her journey into reproductive health activism is rooted in her own experiences growing up in Indonesia, where misinformation about menstruation was widespread. "I was 11 when I first menstruated, and I thought I was sick," she recalls. "There were so many myths—don’t wash your hair, don’t cut your nails, or bad things will happen."
These misunderstandings were not unique to her. During her research in 2018, Tungga found that many women in remote areas of Indonesia, such as Flores in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), still viewed menstruation as an illness. A striking 50 percent of women she interviewed believed that menstruation stopped them from engaging in everyday activities, like exercising or even baking. This highlighted the urgent need for better education on reproductive health.
Tungga and her co-founder, Icha, then launched Perfect Fit in 2018. Initially a social project, the organization became a fully-fledged social enterprise in 2021, with the mission to empower women through education and provide healthier, environmentally-friendly menstrual products.
Tungga’s motivation was also fueled by the environmental impact of disposable menstrual products. During her travels, she observed how single-use pads contributed to massive plastic waste. In Indonesia, over 80 million women menstruate each month, and 95 percent of them use disposable pads made of 90 percent plastic and often contain harmful chemicals. To address this, Perfect Fit offers sustainable alternatives, such as reusable cloth pads, organic bamboo pads, and menstrual cups, involving sexual violence survivors in creating the products.
Empowering Women Through Education and Support
Tungga Dewi with the environmentally-friendly products of Perfect Fit
A key part of Tungga’s work is educating not only women but also men about menstruation to foster emphaty, reducing conflict, and supporting healthier relationships. She recalls stories from her educational outreach in Bali, NTT, and Jakarta, where involving men in discussions about menstruation led to surprising results.
"Many men shared their experiences—thinking that menstruation meant their wives were angry or unfaithful. This lack of education led to misunderstanding and, in some cases, even violence,” she says.
Tungga also advocates for menstrual education as a crucial entry point for gender equality. Without proper knowledge or sanitary products, many girls miss school, which can lead to lower academic performance, higher dropout rates, and even early marriage or abuse. By addressing these issues, Perfect Fit works to break the cycle of poverty caused by menstruation-related challenges.
The company also strives to create safe spaces for women in workplaces and society, by implementing policies like menstrual leave, flexible working hours, and sexual harassment protections within Perfect Fit. Furthermore, the company collaborates with schools, universities, and businesses to ensure women have access to necessary products and facilities, like nursing rooms and sanitary product dispensers.
By providing education, advocacy, and sustainable products, Tungga hopes to create an Indonesia where menstruation is not only “period-friendly” but also an empowering experience for women everywhere.