What started as a local collection of about 450 items has expanded to 1.5 million packets of pads or tampons collected and distributed nationally in the past three-and-a-half years.

“It’s obviously not like you’re giving a woman a warm jacket and it keeps her warm for years, it’s a monthly problem and the problem was much greater than I ever imagined,” said Ms Courtenay, from Sandgate, north of Brisbane.

The world-first PinkBox vending machines, which dispense sanitary items for free, have also been installed across Australia in locations like homeless shelters, hospitals and schools.

In November, Carinity Education Southside at Sunnybank received one of the machines on its campus – making it the second Queensland school to receive a PinkBox.

There are 16 machines in Queensland.

Deputy Principal Christine Harman said many students stayed home when they had their period as managing it was too difficult without access to feminine hygiene products.

“Even when we buy them for the girls, they often are too embarrassed to ask,” Ms Harman said.

Ms Courtenay said she had heard stories from across Australia about women without access to sanitary items trying to manage their period.

“I’ll never forget meeting this young girl who said she got rags out of her dad’s garage to deal with her period,” she said.

“(Another) girl that we spoke to left a tampon in for two days because her family can’t afford (sanitary items).

"When you hear her talk about how she sits in the classroom and wonders whether she’s stained the back of her dress, she’s not learning anything."

Ms Courtenay said it was not an uncommon scenario.

“This is happening in Caboolture. It’s happening in Logan. It’s happening in Sandgate. It’s happening where you live,” she said.

“They just can’t afford it [sanitary items].

“We can’t fix everything, but we need to make sure they don’t miss out on an education because that changes the trajectory of their lives, and that’s not fair.”

Ms Courtenay said she hoped for PinkBox vending machines to be installed in all less well-off schools.

“If the government wants to help us then that would be amazing. If they don’t then we will just keep doing what we’re doing,” she said.

Share the Dignity runs two donation drives a year in April and August where it asks for the public to donate at collection points.

A Christmas campaign called ‘It’s in the bag’ is currently running and encourages donations of a handbag filled with gifts for women and girls in need to be dropped off at Bunnings Warehouse by December 2.