Wycombe Abbey Senior, Ahana (2025) received a prestigious national award for her entrepreneurial work with her menstrual underwear brand, Saathi.
Wycombe Abbey is delighted to announce that recent leaver Ahana (2025), has been named the recipient of the Independent School of the Year Rising Star Award in recognition of her exceptional commitment to social impact, sustainability, and youth empowerment.
At the age of 16, Ahana founded Saathi, a menstrual underwear brand with a mission to eradicate period poverty globally, saying: “The idea was simple, that no girl should ever have to feel embarrassed, miss school or risk a health just because she doesn’t have access to products.” Through its sustainable buy-one-give-one model, the company has already donated more than 5,000 units of reusable menstrual underwear to girls across India, Uganda and Burkina Faso, improving health outcomes and restoring dignity for over 1,000 young women. Alongside product distribution, Ahana leads community workshops, partners with NGOs, and campaigns for menstrual education while advocating for environmentally sustainable practices.
Ahana’s achievements have had a profound impact on the Wycombe Abbey community, inspiring pupils and staff alike to consider how they can make a difference. Headmistress Jo Duncan said: “Ahana has the ability to inspire through action. She leads not for recognition, but because she believes in making a difference. She represents the kind of courageous, thoughtful leadership we seek to develop in our pupils.”
Ahana says: “To anyone that might feel that too young to start something you’re not, if there’s something you care about, your age should never stop you from making a difference.”
Ahana’s success reflects Wycombe Abbey’s ethos of service, innovation and encouragement, and demonstrates the power of girls’ education to foster ambition and meaningful change on a global scale.
Categories: School News Wycombe Abbey
