Eco-fairy sanitary pad dispenser

This solution provides sanitary pads to menstruating people, irrespective of the time and place and for free.

Our solution consists of a dispenser that releases a sanitary pad when the button is pressed. The current model operates without electricity meaning that the sanitary pad dispenser does not require batteries, and will function despite power cuts.

Recyclable and low-cost materials such as cardboard and plastics can be used to build the dispenser, which makes the project both eco-friendly and affordable.

The solution requires regular refilling of the dispenser so as to provide maximum people with sanitary pads. The dispenser is of relatively small size and will not clutter the bathroom space.

As teenagers living in a low to a middle-income country, we are aware that
menstrual hygiene is sometimes neglected due to the shame, stigmas, and
taboos associated with periods. This leads to a lack of dialogue
regarding menstruation products, from accessing the products to the
substances they contain, some of which may have adverse effects. In
some countries, it is even considered a luxury product that only some
can afford. We thus wish to solve period poverty, which refers to lack
of access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and adequate
education on the subject. This widespread issue affects an estimated 500
million people worldwide [1]. Those experiencing period poverty may
have mental and physical health challenges and low self-esteem. Girls
who grew up in poverty often cannot afford period protection, which
means that they don't fully participate in school, sports, or social
life during their periods. All these issues combined may lead to
increased school absenteeism, and for some girls even dropping out
altogether [2]. Almost two-thirds of women in the U.S with a low income
could not afford menstrual products in the past year, while nearly half
had to choose between buying food or menstrual products [1].
Consequently, these women tend to use sanitary products longer than
intended or use toilet papers and children's diapers as substitutes.
Such alternatives put them at higher risks of infections of the urinary
and genital systems such as urinary tract infections(UTIs) and bacterial
vaginosis.

Source:

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.c...
2. https://always.com/en-us/about...

The solution we propose targets people who menstruate in general. We wish to improve menstruation experiences for everyone. Most importantly, women of low income, students not being able to afford the necessary sanitary products, and homeless people. We would also like to address the stigma surrounding trans people who menstruate, a subject largely unaddressed, for there are no disposable receptacles in bathroom stalls, and there is a lack of access to free menstrual products through school. The sanitary pad dispenser could thereby be placed in both the gents and the ladies' bathrooms to be able to satisfy the needs of all equally. Women on their period will not have to worry about having sanitary pads with them all the time, as a result, it will reduce stress and boost their self-confidence.

To have more information on the problem and solution being tackled, We have asked various women, female friends, and relatives around us about moments when they have lacked menstrual products or things about the menstruation cycle they wished they had known earlier. A majority of them have stated to have been in embarrassing situations where they have had to ask strangers for menstrual pads because they did not have any with them. Many others confessed to having experienced diseases due to a lack of menstrual hygiene and lack of knowledge on the subject. We have also read the views of different associations such as the UNICEF, and The Global Menstrual Collective who have supported many deprived women by donating menstrual products to those in need so that they can commit to their education and future. We did some research on the different diseases due to poor menstrual hygiene and how it impacts women as well as the importance of sanitary products. As users ourselves, my sister and I have worked on the development of the solution itself based, on our own, and the experiences of menstruators around us.

Since this is our first project, we have decided to opt for a prototype rather than a pilot which needs more experience. We have tried experimenting with different alternatives and have reused materials like cardboard and plastic to minimize expenses. We have looked at different types of dispensers and have decided on one suitable for the needs we are trying to justify. Friends and family around us have tried the model and have liked the way it works. We have been encouraged then to continue working on the sanitary pad dispenser and will not hesitate to improve or update the project if we ever plan to expand the project for it to be put on the market and thus used by the public.

We have recycled cardboard which we used to make the base and structure of our dispenser. Recycled plastic has been utilized to make the transparent window from which the sanitary napkins can be seen. We have also used elastics and plastic zip ties which allow us to push the button allowing the product to be dispensed without any electricity or battery. This project is thereby both eco-friendly and affordable.

Our solution has not been launched yet due to the fact that schools are closed during the Covid pandemic, but if it does in the future, we plan to implement the sanitary pad dispenser in secondary schools and the service will be offered to teenagers in said school making about 500 people. The dispenser shall be placed near bathrooms and changing rooms where it will be much more accessible. If we expand further this solution, the sanitary pad dispenser could be placed in offices, where women work, and in public restrooms where it will be easily accessible to anyone in need of sanitary napkins.

     Goals:

• present project to my school
• present project to private schools
• make sanitary pads accessible and educate about genital health associated with poor use of sanitary pads by making an awareness and education campaign in schools; weekly, during the morning
  assembly, and daily, my sister and I will go through two classes each to explain how to use the sanitary pad dispenser and talk about the importance of menstrual hygiene.
•  A request will be made to publish an article in the school magazine about the subject, which will be part of the awareness campaign.

• Absences and early leaves due to menstrual problems will be recorded and compared with previous years.
• A survey shall take place after 3 months to know how the students and other users feel about the model, if it helped them and if they have suggestions as to how the product may be improved.
•  A quiz or poster competition could be held about menstrual health and hygiene to see how much students will have learned from the awareness campaign.

• Approval from authorities for implementation in public and private schools
• Necessary funding, sponsors, or donation to provide free sanitary pads will be needed.
• If we wish to expand the project to other schools, office restrooms, or even public bathrooms, approval from authorities will be necessary.
• Mass production.
• Hiring expertise to develop the prototype further is needed.

Two girls have been working on this model, and we both attend the same school as well as have researched about the project through people who have faced these situations and mentors to whom we have also asked for feedback and suggestions on the prototype. We are now quite knowledgeable on the subject and are well determined to overcome challenges in implementing the solution. We believe it will be easier for us to deliver the awareness campaign among our friends and fellow students. The other participant(a boy) has some experience in design and was thus the one who designed and built the prototype with our help. As girls and users ourselves, my sister and I have based this idea and project on our own personal experiences and of the menstruators around us who have shared their views and opinions.

I am a 15-year-old girl and believe that my project is one that promotes eco-friendly practices since all materials used were recycled. I wish to promote women's empowerment and help them in their day-to-day life and hope to educate teenage girls about menstruation and how it is absolutely normal and nothing to be ashamed of. No girl would hesitate to help another when on their period and I would like to do the exact same for all the menstruators around me who are in need of sanitary pads.