03. Taking HER Global w/ Pear Chontwunbong (Student, Founder)
Pear Chotbunwong: Leading Change Through HER and Manyasiri
Students make things happen; some of the most important changes in this world have come from motivated students. This couldn’t be more true for Pear Chotbunwong, a Stanford sophomore from Thailand whose personal health journey inspired her to launch and lead a movement for menstrual justice.
Welcome to Surge Streams, where we work to dig into the real stories of students learning by launching and leading organizations —the moments that don’t make the headlines but shape the journey.
In this episode, I sat down with Pear to learn about her incredible track record as a social entrepreneur, founder in sustainable cosmetics, and social media influencer helping to inspire another generation of people making positive change.
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Watch to learn what inspired Pear as a transformative leader, how she approached the challenge of coordinating a global nonprofit, her approach to developing innovative, sustainable products in women’s health.
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I interviewed Pear without a lot of prep, because I wanted to ask questions that dug into the reality of her experience, beyond social media, so that interested listeners could get a better behind-the-scenes perspective. I regret that. Pear is already transparent on social media, and I could have asked better questions in a better way.
Click HERE to watch on YouTube.
Still, I know you will LOVE this episode, because you get to know Pear through her achievements and struggles. Just skip to 5:00, so you can start with Pear instead of me.
Pear is the founder of HER (Health. Equity. Respect.), a non-profit organization addressing period poverty, and Manyasiri, a skincare brand turning silk waste into sustainable beauty products. She’s also heading up social impact for SURGE Expo24, hosted by the SRBA with Stanford Student Enterprises.
This November, Pear will join us at SURGE Expo24, where she’ll present Manyasiri at the Student-Run Startup Cup and showcase HER’s work at The Wonder Playground, a marketplace showcasing social impact and student-run business products - Pear is both organizing and participating in this one. You can apply to participate, too!
Beyond these impressive ventures, Pear’s personal journey is what truly stands out.
Key Insights from Our Conversation with Pear Chotbunwong
1. Turning Personal Struggles into Global Impact [00:05:31]
When Pear was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) at 15, she lost her period for eight months. This is a big deal, and it directly led to her founding HER.
Reading a 2023 overview from the World Health Organization linked above, it turns out PCOS impacts 8-13% of women is goes undiagnosed in up to 70% of those who have it. It’s a leading cause of infertility, like you’ll hear Pear explain.
But “Period Stigma,” particularly in places like Thailand, make it hard to discuss. It’s worse than you think.
The stigma is so prominent that women . . . who are menstruating sometimes they are not allowed to go to the kitchen or touch food.
Women on their period are “segregated,” she says. Women on their period are segregated.
I did not know that.
During a conversation with a former female inmate, she was exposed to the harsher reality some women face when it comes to menstrual poverty.
One woman told Pear “she was bleeding through her prison uniform without any access to, like, pads. And the guards like to mop up her own mess and didn't allow her to shower for like two weeks.”
[00:14:23]
Wow. So learning this, Pear became outspoken about her period. She saw something was off and, here’s the key part, she SPOKE OUT. She did something.
That’s the start of HER and Pear’s rise as an impactful social leader.
“I didn’t expect to be the ‘period girl’ at school, but that’s what I became, and I’m proud of it now”([06:55]).
2. The Birth of HER: A Global Movement Against Period Poverty [00:13:26]
HER started as a small initiative to address period poverty in Thailand, but has now grown to distribute over 15,000 menstrual products across 15 countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, and Dubai. The impact isn’t just about providing products; it’s about creating spaces for open dialogue. Pear described how women in rural areas were initially hesitant to discuss menstruation but gradually opened up through HER’s workshops.
There are women using “rags, newspapers, cardboard” instead of pads, she said. HER’s mission is to change that by providing products and breaking down stigma, one community at a time.
HER’s scalable model now operates through more than 30 chapters, run by passionate students worldwide. I know from experience, that’s a big achievement.
It’s not easy to get something like this to scale, but Pear developed an onboarding, training and implementation system to make it work.
3. Overcoming the Toughest Moments [00:55:30]
Pear didn’t sugarcoat the difficulties of starting HER. “Our first product kind of sucked,” she admitted. Someone close to her told her to “just give up”
But Pear pushed through the doubt. Drawing strength from her early supporters, she kept refining HER’s product and mission. Today, HER’s reusable pads are designed for long-term use, with local production helping to cut costs and increase access.
Her most important advice? “Your idea doesn’t need to be perfect right away, but it needs to be something you believe in.”
4. Creating Manyasiri: From Waste to Luxury Skincare [00:35:36]
Pear’s latest venture, Manyasiri, came from her love of innovation and sustainable solutions. The brand upcycles silk waste from Thailand’s silk industry into luxury skincare products, using sericin, a protein found in silk cocoons. “Over 50,000 tons of silk cocoons are discarded annually,” she explained. “I wanted to find a way to take this waste and turn it into something valuable.”
Manyasiri’s products include everything from sericin gel cleansers to antioxidant-rich creams, each designed with sustainability and luxury in mind. Pear’s goal is not just to create a product, but to offer a solution that bridges Thai heritage with modern skincare.
5. Challenges of Running a Global Non-Profit [00:40:48]
As HER expanded internationally, Pear faced logistical challenges, including with making and shipping products.
She digs into some of the details of how she got through these challenges with minimal funding, too.
”Money will come after you are able to showcase your impact,” she pointed out.
6. Building Sustainable Systems and Empowering Others [00:43:33]
Pear’s success comes not just from her vision, but from empowering others to lead. HER’s chapter model allows student leaders to run their own operations, with Pear offering guidance and resources. “I want this to go beyond me,” Pear said. “This isn’t just my organization; it’s a movement.”
Pear’s focus is on creating systems that can outlast her own involvement, ensuring HER will continue to grow and make a difference even as she steps into new ventures.
Meet Pear at SURGE Expo24
At SURGE Expo24, you’ll have the chance to hear from Pear directly, whether she’s presenting Manyasiri in the Student-Run Startup Cup or showcasing HER’s incredible work at The Wonder Playground. The event brings together social entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers who are tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Here’s what you can expect at SURGE Expo24:
The Student-Run Startup Cup: Watch Pear compete with Manyasiri for the top prize, showcasing her innovative use of silk waste in skincare.
SURGE Marketplace (The Wonder Playground): Pear is spearheading planning and implementing an exciting new way to showcase top student businesses.
Why You Should Watch Pear’s Full Interview
If you’re passionate about social impact, sustainable beauty, or simply love hearing stories of perseverance and innovation, Pear’s interview is a must-watch. Some of the best moments include:
How HER grew from a small school project to a global organization.
The challenges Pear faced when she was told her product wouldn’t succeed—and how she proved the doubters wrong.
Why Manyasiri is more than just a skincare brand—it’s a movement that supports Thai farmers while offering a luxury, sustainable product.
The importance of empowering young people to take charge of social causes and how Pear's leadership is inspiring the next generation of student-run ventures.
Get Involved with HER, Manyasiri, and the Wonder Playground at SURGE Expo24
HER Non-Profit: Interested in starting a chapter or contributing to the fight against period poverty? Visit HERNon-Profit or a variety of ways to engage the organization HERE.
Manyasiri Skincare: Discover Pear’s sustainable beauty products at Manyasiri Skincare.
The Wonder Playground at SURGE Expo24 at Stanford: Apply by October 15th, 2024 to showcase your work in The Wonder Playground HERE.
Join us at SURGE Expo24 in November to meet Pear, explore her work, and see how student leaders like her are shaping the future of social impact and entrepreneurship.
Conversation Breakdown
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the key moments from our conversation with Pear, timestamped for easy navigation:
[00:05:31] Pear’s personal health journey and how it inspired her to start HER.
[00:13:26] The global impact of HER and its growth to over 15 countries.
[00:35:36] The creation of Manyasiri, upcycling silk waste into luxury skincare products.
[00:40:48] Challenges Pear faced scaling HER globally, including logistics and shipping.
[00:43:33] Pear’s philosophy on building sustainable systems and empowering young leaders to run HER chapters.
[00:55:30] Overcoming doubt and initial failures while refining HER’s products.