Bumi, Giving Women and Girls Hope

Period pains and general menstrual discomforts is one of the hidden and silent causes of reduced education opportunities in girls/young women as many loss of class hours nursing these discomforts. If in class may not be able to concentrate fully owing to the pain they have to manage regardless the painkillers and hot water bottles which they often use which do not provide a permanent. Others get married early and drop out from school because they are told the pain will only stop when they start having children. Bumi Anion pads as disruptive technology is design as a permanent solution against this discomfort dealing also with many others associated to menstrual hygiene distracting the education of girls and young women. Without these discomforts, the girls/young women will be able to participate just like the male ones providing them an opportunity for increased hours of learning for a better future life.

 About 34.3% girls in Zambia do not attend classes from severe period pains and menstrual discomforts (Menstrual hygiene management guidelines handbook p.20), globally it is reported 2 out of the 10 girls are absent from classes during school days from period pains and other menstrual discomforts.Often the menstrual discomforts result from unhygienic menstrual materials available on the market the girls use(Cloth,Cotton) including some disposable sanitary pads which have a technological malfunction(design, material used and production process) helping to grow these discomforts(Urogenital infections). With regards to period pains, the current research findings indicate period pains apart from usual contractions is caused by hormonal imbalance producing excess hormones which help her shade the blood but cause the pain and sometimes vomiting. The other cause of period pains could be shrinked linings in the uterus through which these hormones struggle to pass causing the pain. This pain is capable of disrupting their life and class life is part of it.Other menstrual discomforts like itchiness and Urogenital infections are often suspected sexually transmitted infections when in fact not and at relationship level contribute about 36.8% domestic violence suspecting the woman/girl to be promiscuous.

We promote a very special brand of sanitary pads and pantliners called Bumi. Both pads and pantliners are air permeable to allow the skin to breath preventing creating an environment on the woman's genitals  were germs grow growing the many discomforts experience buy girls/Young women during menstruation. This air also helps to relax the contractions which cause the pain because the air also contain anions.The pads and pantliners are made from pure organic materials than synthetic ones like plastic which produces heat during menstruation practically cooking the woman's genitals growing urogenital infections. Most importantly the pads and pantliners are fortified with negative ions , mint and algae that form an iridescent compound of nutrients which when absorbed in the body help to balance the hormones or produce required amount of hormones, relax the veins for easy flow of hormones. Since they are a combination of food grade material or nutrients they feed the brain to produce the natural pain killer endorphin to kill the pain as well as create alkalinity on the genitals to prevent odour and growing infections which cause discomforts.The whole process is nutrition as a solution from traditional technology and biotechniology.

Our target is all girls/Young women of menstruating age and still school going. According to the Zambian menstrual hygiene handbook(P20) by ministry of education,61.5% of school going felt menstrual discomforts while at school and 34.3% missed classes from period pains. This situation perpetuates inequality in education(SDGs 4 and 10 refers). The girls/Young women are victims of extra work from lessons they missed when they were absent from nursing the pain and have also to concentrate on new work which turns an overload on them. For centuries many have used hot water bottles to kill the pain but this hot water is just temporal not possible to go with in class, others have used pain killers which fail also to kill the pain. We have a request from ministry of general education to go round schools the whole Zambia on our concept and how it is solution against these discomforts and have done so in a number of schools already. We wish to make available the product is schools tuck shops for easy access resources available for both students and female staff to use to prevent these discomforts so they don't have to stay away from class.

About 34.3% period pains in girls/Young women is reported severe for about 3-6 days to the point of disrupting their daily activities including attending classes and other learning opportunities. If they don't experience this pain and other associated discomforts from menstrual infections  or picking from unhygienic toilets as they use Bumi Anion Sanitary pad and pantliners, there is no reason for them not to go to class or participate in other formal or informal learning opportunities and reduce on school dropouts. This provides them an opportunity for improved learning outcomes and reduced early marriages sometimes caused from period pain.

Unique in this technology is the use of food grade materials(Mint,algae and Anions) in place of synthetic magnetism in others supplied by by competitors LongRich and GreenLeaf. Likely dangers of synthetic magnetism is overtime cause an imbalance in the body's bio-magnetism production because its never digested but combination of mint with anions and algae helps the body produce its own bio-magnetism than induced one and protects itself naturally. Apart from the two competitors in Zambia named above, the others use first technology in terms of design, material used and production process which is outdated and is not a threat because it is reported to be unhygienic by the research done by ministry of general education here in Zambia in the menstrual hygiene management guideline handbook(P19) and has no ability to stop the pain during periods. The concept on the link between these gynecological diseases and is another unique part of the technology being able to relate to real life challenges and we are the only ones educating in this direction.

The technology in use in the solution is biodegradable cotton material with microscopic pores to allow air circulation during periods to prevent creating an environment were germs grow, instead of using paper or recycle paper as an absorbent material, the technology use corn/maize mill turned into a gel and is a carbohydrate than carcinogen. The other technology involved is nano technology used to harvest natural air (anions) and mint fumes at molecular level and fortified on a pad using algae material which has ability to keep it and helps to enhance alkalinity on the girl/Young women's genitals during menstruation creating a wrong environment for germs to grow. The combination also forms an iridescent compound or natural chemo-prevention compound which is a combination of natural nutrients to help replenish nutrients lost during menstruation. it is this combination that is also responsible to kill the pain during menstruation as it relaxes the contractions reducing the pain, feeds the brain to produce natural endorphin to kill the pain. Harvesting these molecules at the nano scale helps the body directly absorb them in the cellular system and acts almost immediately to relief the victims of all menstrual discomforts better than drugs and hot water bottles do because these are temporal but as along as they have the pad or pantliner on they will always not feel the discomforts.This is health because the material is digestible to become part of the cells and tissue than remain in the body as synthetic.

Negative Ions-How do Negative ions Influence our health.I learnt nature is already at nano scale and most effective at talking to bacteria than synthetic nano materials because nature is harmless. In Bumi brand anions combines natural food grade materials that are digestible and interact well with the biological systems of the human body against bacteria during menstruation by creating a wrong environment for them on the woman's genitals.Also effective against period pains as they relax contractions relieving the pain and increase on a woman'/girls productive hours.Science: Power of negative Ions

Globally, 62% gynecological dysfuctions grow during menstruation from wrong design, material used and production process of most common pads available on the market(Prof Li Jua-an, Winalite International) creating an environment were germs grow growing these infections and commonly due to lack of ventilation of these pads. In Zambia, 61% of both women and girls complain of discomforts during menstruation while 34.3% absent themselves from class from severe period pains and this reduces women/girls' learning opportunities because they spend 3-6 days nursing the pain. Have partnered with ministry of education on the ministry findings on the research done on menstrual hygiene challenges in the Zambian menstrual hygiene hand book which identifies Bumi pads as a "Max super pad(P19)" meaning extremely good pad from their tests.We will educate on what this so called supper pad is, we will demonstrate graphically the possibility of this solution from the concept of understanding and provide samples to severe cases to prove our case. The product is approved by the Zambian authority responsible and is reason it is easily acceptable by those to whom it is shared. It was granted a gold medal at the African Innovation week in 2019 held in December in Morocco. We have also partnered with ministry of health to educate on the technology benefits against urogenital infections. In 2017 did presentations to close to 500 employee nurses and midwives arranged by ministry of health provincial office in Northwestern province drawn from also western province on the link between poor menstrual hygiene with domestic violence and how the Bumi anion pads are solution also against period pains. In 2019 did presentations at University teaching hospital to a group of gynecologist as directed by ministry of health(Contact person +260966916422 Dr Macha Snr gynecologist) on the technology efficacy against Urogenital infections. Same presentation was arranged by Dr Ncheengamwe(+260979987801) clinical care specialist at Solwezi general hospital for knowledge in empowerment on the technology for the general health staff. Other presentations were done to the NGOCC(+260977440395) to leverage the women network who are the potential victims of the project concerns.Linkages are for purpose of inspiring change.

Currently between 500-1000 both women and girls/ Young Women. In the next one year our projection is to reach at 1,000,000 clients as monthly alternate users and in five years hoping for 10,000,000 users both women and girls. Our projections is based on the current feedback on clients' product satisfaction in comparison with the competitor sand community's desire to shift from products made of synthetic materials in response to SDG 3-wellbeing.

Our goal is to reduce about 62% gynecological diseases including cervical cancer, reduce about 36.8% domestic violence cases prevalent among girls/Young Women especially from parents from menstrual infections suspected sexually transmitted infections. We already have authority from ministry of general education to round all schools under the ministry to educate on the product and concept. We hope to replicate this approaches to colleges and universities with presentations and was in 2019 requested to do a presentation by the ministry of health at the University teaching Hospital under the supervision of Dr Macha the senior gynecologist(Contact +260966916422,+260977800843). With support our goal is to conduct discusions to the general population on TV, radio and social media due to COVID-19 restrictions which restricts gathering and fact that all schools are now clossed. We will engage the ministry of general education for a slot on menstrual hygiene education on the national education program on the Zambian national broadcasting corperation television.Our other goal is to reduce absentieesm from class from menstrual discomforts and pain by about34.3%.

Financial resources for marketing and producing the technology and transport as vehicle(s) for movement to reach the potential clients are our main barriers together with COVID-19 gathering restrictions and closures of institutions of learning which helps to bring together our target groups.

Financial barriers we hope to get help from programs like Solve because our project requires more of grants or patient funds because it still needs a lot of sensitization on the difference with other existing technologies. We have also applied to other open programs for assistance with funds and are still keeping our fingers crossed. Currently i depend on my salary to keep the project afloat and a few products bought for us by kukulaseed through a loan which we service from the sales of the products. I have also embarked on crop and poultry farming to try and raise funds at the personal level to use to buy small quantities of products when what is in stock finishes since i pay everything i get from sales to service the loan after expenses. COVID-19 barrier restricting gatherings we hope to address it by taking advantage of  social media advertising and sensitization because it is the cheapest at the moment with resource constraints. Those am pursuing if realized will be used to scale the project as per projection to go round the country with knowledge to every potential beneficiary.

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Currently we are 5 member group including the three (03) directors as full time but for no pay. Contractors we have are 7 pharmacies but currently not supplying them due to limited products. We have 3 individuals who buy for resale and 3 who sells on commission basis. We have a number of requests to open outlets in all provincial centers.

We have delivered to our expectations so far since 2012 because we started the project from the scratch and its our experience. The founder is trained in preventing violence against women and girls, gender perspectives, restoring order after hostilities, development studies and general crime prevention as a police officer having taken interest in understanding global challenges and strategies(SDGs) to solve them. The other director is a youth who has been willing to learn the concept and is also a mechanic with personal experience also of how fellow female students in college and lower school used to safer and be absent from school from menstrual discomforts. The third director is a woman and house wife with vast experience in menstrual hygiene challenges. The other three part time team members two are psycho-social counselors and one is a high school leaver who used to be a victim of menstrual pains causing her not to attend classes until she started using Bumi pads. We wish to use her experience for influence in institutions of learning to create interest to switch to the bumi sanitary technology.

VisionZambia(Contact Person +260966195070), whisper a dream foundation led by Kalaluka contact +260971415383, all are NGOs. We donate sanitary products for distribution to the vulnerable to above NGOs and they also buy from us for donations on special events days relating women/girls on menstrual hygiene and gender based violence in general. Partnered with ministry of general education on presentations to be done in all schools around the country resources available(Contacts+260977966278-Chinyama). Have partnered with local ministry of health officials to do presentations in their institutions of learning to trainees and members of staff and also joint radio programs(Contact person Dr Ncheenganwe +260979987801).Others are the NGOCC which is a network of women to whom presentations have been done and those that afford the technology are already consumers( Contact person +260 977440395)

Our business model is through a campaign on our concept on the link between, gynecological diseases, domestic violence and poor menstrual hygiene. The menstrual hygiene management handbook under the ministry of general education(p19) identifies our technology as as "Max Supper pad". Our engagement with the potential clients and victims is to explain and demonstrate how this product is extremely good. we offer free counseling services both physical, online and on phone. We have allowed a few that we trust to collect products to go and sell at a commission. For easy access we have partners running pharmacies that buy for resale to our clients. We have designed a back to school, college and university strategy to identify agents who are school leavers and willing to back to school and educate on the same. We run a model shop in Solwezi our main center from which we provide the product both on wholesale and retail. We do social and electronic media advertisements to reach out to potential customers.

Raising donations and grants is our main project sustenance model together with selling the products when we get resources to buy for resale at a profit. We hope also to find an equity partner in the project and business to bring in the required resources.We have invested in the NEEW program for future financial sustainability.NEEW Presentation-Leon Ferriera.

Was attracted on the concerns by SOLVE in the challenge which is also BUMI project interest to solve. The prize money in the challenge is going to help scale the project and keep the project afloat for possible better future equity partnership. The application is also to leverage solve's expertise and linkages on the concerns for the project and a platform to sensitize and conscientize on the concerns as information sharing because the solution maybe of use to others too.

From my background, am not well educated in the areas highlighted and need practical insights. The application form information gave me understanding that the SOLVE team is well qualified to help with expertise to actualize the project combined with our experience on the concerns for the project.

Am interested with every partner with similar interest be it organizations, MIT faculty or initiatives or solve members. Interested in organizations that can help on documentation of the product results, exposure to the market and other interest groups in their network.We also need Education in the area of concern which shows our lack of knowledge because our understanding of the problem is just from CITIZEN SCIENCE.

The concerns in the project equally affect refugees. Locally we have a refugee camp with opportunity to empower them with knowledge and products as an income generating venture selling among themselves and members of staff. The type of refugees have are farmers and involved in different business ventures including selling of sanitary pads as this biological process occurs even in refugee women. Their situation is even more risky to these gynecological challenges because they may not have adequate or better sanitary facilities and products.

Our product is of innovation driven defined as "new products and ideas". We will use the prize to reach out to the many women and girls in need of education. We have permission from ministry of education here in Zambia to go round all schools and educate both members of staff and pupils/students on the innovation and technology because it deals with a number of challenges faced by the learners which disrupt their learning process such as menstrual discomforts(itchness and period pains etc). We will empower schools with start-up products in their tuck shops selling the products as an income generating venture towards this cause but providing a solution.

The product is a product of science, technology and engineering. Defining technology as "Practical application of scientific knowledge in industry", our product and project just fits it and will benefit the target market encouraging the students to venture into technologies inspired by nature than only BIOMIMETICS. The project provides practical understanding on how science and technology through innovation is key to solving global challenges. My qualification for the prize is first the experience and knowledge gained in challenges women go through limiting their education opportunities from menstrual challenges. Am also trained in different fields relating to the challenge which are (a) Development studies which all about improvement and progress (b) Gender perspectives which is about understanding different gender concerns including this challenge (c) Preventing violence against women and girls which requires designing strategies to provide means possible at the individual level (e) Restoring order after hostilities which more on negotiations, counseling and guidance.

Adult women are also victims of menstrual discomforts including period pains and menopause discomforts which may disturb their learning. Some of these discomforts can be picked from unhygienic places and the product helps protect them. Adult women are the common victims of domestic violence from suspicion of promiscuity from infections suspected sexually transmitted when they could be grown during menstruation or picked from unhygienic toilets. If these infections occur,the women will be suspected of extra marital relationships which may disrupt their education and sometimes will be told to stop to school for those that are school going and they are made to choose between between marriage and their continued attending classes. We will use the prize to reach out to these victims with knowledge and solution and where possible create clubs we shall empower with starter packs as a business venture.

Our project has potential to expand because many women agonize with a number of gynecological challenges and discomforts both as professionals and school going helping to increase/improve of their productive hours. The product helps to grow a healthier generation of women and girls gynecologically. The partnership we have acquired with ministry of health and education is evidence of the potential for the project to impact millions of lives both against menstrual challenges and domestic violence as a one stone killing so many birds.