the cup effect

Our mission is to make it easier for women and girls around the world to take control of their bodies so they can take control of their lives. WHY does The Cup Effect exist? Every day several hundred million women and girls around the world are needlessly prevented from participating fully in society because of their menstrual cycle. From puberty to menopause, a woman will menstruate for up to 3000 days - this equates to an incredible 8.2 years over the course of her lifetime! Not being able to afford or have access to adequate, effective, and safe menstrual hygiene products holds women and girls back and reduces their quality of life. In fact, many girls in some of the world's lowest income communities miss up to 20% of their education due to a lack of access to adequate menstrual care. We believe that raising awareness about menstrual cups and making them available (as an option) to women and girls in low-income communities benefits not just women, but everyone, including: men, boys, and whole communities. WHAT is a menstrual cup? And WHAT makes them so special? Cups are a fantastic innovation. They are an ingenious alternative to pads, tampons, and other menstrual hygiene methods. They are made of medical-grade silicone, and crucially - they can be REUSED for up to 10 years! This means for each cup user: A WHOLE DECADE of being able to manage her period reliably, effectively, conveniently, safely, confidently, and with dignity. And throughout that time - no solid waste will be produced, resulting in significant environmental benefits. HOW do we turn our passion, vision and commitment into action? We partner with established organisations that already work with significant numbers of women and girls. We provide information and awareness training, build capacity within partner organisations, and - in low income communities - provide cups to women and girls who would like to try using one.