Be Girl seeks to eliminate menstruation as a barrier to opportunity, empowering women and girls to access their rights to education, health, and equitable participation in society. We are fierce advocates for girls and envision a world where being a girl does not stand in the way of health, dignity, and success. For this reason, we create access to our sustainable, high-performing, and cost effective menstrual products, redefining period protection as it stands.

Be Girl's PeriodPanty and FlexiPad have a revolutionary patented design: a leakproof base with a mesh pocket that holds a washable absorbent towel, initially designed as a pad that attaches to underwear: the FlexiPad. Disposable toilet tissue or cloths may be inserted in place of the towel for users with very low water access. Through piloting the FlexiPadTM, we learned that many girls who struggle to afford menstrual pads every month also struggle to afford underwear. This led to the design of our PeriodPanty, a 2-in-1 product that combines high-performance underwear with reliable period protection using the FlexiPad™ pocket technology. Our pilot data revealed that girls using the PeriodPanty experienced a 40% reduction in school absenteeism, and 94% of users reported improvements in their confidence and/or school performance. To address the lack of information around periods, Be Girl developed the SmartCycle® Menstrual Educational Tool, created with and for adolescent girls to allow them to manage menstruation with information and independence. Designed as a wearable necklace, the SmartCycle® puts knowledge in the hands of girls to learn about and monitor their periods. Pilot data revealed an increase in girls' knowledge about menstruation (e.g., six-fold improvement in girls who understood ovulation) and positive attitudes (51% increase in girls who felt comfortable discussing menstruation).

Be Girl's design-centered approach positions us a disrupter in the MHM space. We patented a design solution to address the negative outcomes from a lack of affordable, effective, and hygienic menstrual protection. Compared to existing alternatives, our PeriodPanty is more durable (lasts two years or longer), affordable (saves money compared to the monthly cost of disposables), and comfortable and user-centered (stain-proof and can be washed with a 70% less water than traditional alternatives). They dry indoors within an hour, protecting the user’s privacy, while also discouraging mildew or other bacterial growth. Our SmartCycle tool and methodology take complex information and package it in a user-friendly, age-appropriate manner. As a physical tool, it does not rely upon smartphone access (as required by a period tracker app). Compared to the bead method, the SmartCycle is easier to understand, especially for younger users, and more discreet.

Be Girl is growing and scaling our impact. Our next step--use our passion, innovation and creativity to disrupt feminine care markets to make menstrual products accessible to the base of the pyramid through marketing mechanisms. Building on learning from our 2018 pilot in Mozambique, we seek to position Be Girl as a top choice for sustainable feminine care products, making it a competitive alternative to disposables in emerging economies.