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By Maxie
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Created: Wednesday, 01 May 2013 16:57
Born and raised in the informal settlement of Mathare, Rachael Mwikali (20 years) has a secondary school degree and recently started working for Ruby Cup as a promoter. This role implies the distribution of flyers to customers and awareness creation about Ruby Cup. Education about the product is a big part of her daily work and she enjoys talking to customers about Ruby Cup and its benefits.
Do you want to go to uni now that you have finished secondary school?
I am waiting to get results from secondary school exams and then I can see if I can go to uni. But I am expecting good results and am positive that I will get accepted.
What do you want to study?
Community development and social work. I want to work in Mathare community for NGOs and CBOs because I like working with the community. And I have been working with it previously.
So now you work for Ruby Cup. What do you like about it?
I love the product itself because it makes an impact for so many girls. Past years when I worked for the community, I saw that so many girls struggled because they could not afford pads. I like the product because it empowers girls and women mostly in informal settlements.
You are a Ruby Cup promoter and you train other promoters? So you are basically already a manager. How do you like that role?
Yes, I have trained even the other promoters and also girls in Mathare about Ruby Cup since last year. I love teaching and training them do promotions. I like training them so they can do it for themselves and not rely on other people.
On the picture you see Rachael talking to customers about Ruby Cup
When you talk to Ruby Cup potential customers, what are the most frequent questions they ask?
Most ask if I have used it myself and if it is hygienic and how much it costs.
After you explain to them what is the reaction?
Then they become more interested and ask where they can get it and if they don´t have money, they will save to be able to afford it.
If you would continue for Ruby Cup, what would your dream position be like?
Working on the ground, in the field and teaching girls about Ruby Cup and also how they can use it and ask other people to sponsor Ruby Cup for girls living in informal settlements. Because my friend Cecilia bought one for me and I would like other girls to do the same for girls in Mathare. I want to give back to my community and make a positive impact on other peoples’ lives.
Rachael made herself a Ruby Cup necklace
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By Mara
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Created: Tuesday, 16 April 2013 15:01
Researching menstruation in western culture has opened up a scary world to me, in which even taking pills to stop having your period is a marketable idea.
I\'ve taken advertising as a lens through which to understand how western societies approach menstruation.
Read more...
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By Mara
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Created: Saturday, 13 April 2013 09:52
This is the first blog post out of two dealing with cultural attitudes to menstruation. For example, did you know that in South Africa, a goat is slaughtered to celebrate a girl\'s first period?
Here we\'ll be looking into the cultural traditions of non-western societies. And in the next post we\'ll be exploring how menstruation is seen in western societies through advertising.
Read more...
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By Ruby Cup
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Created: Wednesday, 10 April 2013 07:41
Do you know the feeling that before a long journey, all of a sudden you start to panic and ask yourself what the hell are you doing to yourself? That’s exactly how I felt before I headed to Kenya to start my master’s thesis project in with Ruby Cup.
Read more...
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By Mara
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Created: Tuesday, 26 March 2013 15:58
This week we’ll be looking at why having your period is such a pain when you lack the resources to manage it.
Don’t forget to check out the last section of the post, where you’ll be able to access the facts and sources that helped me write it!
Read more...
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By Mara
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Created: Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:18
My name is Mara Budgen and I’m thrilled to be writing my first post as external contributor to the Ruby Blog!
The Ruby Cup team has given me the incredible opportunity of collaborating with them, whilst leaving me the freedom to participate in this space according to my own interests and views. So I thought it would be a good idea to dedicate this post to explaining what my hopes and expectations are as I embark on this new adventure…
Read more...
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By Veronica D'Souza
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Created: Tuesday, 12 February 2013 06:19
The era of coming up with solutions that are thrown away after one single usage in order to profit maximize is coming to an end. Probably, most of you still have a radio from the olden days that works perfectly. And a stock full of electronics from our days, that are either broken or have become outdated after a short while. This can be explained by the fast change in technology, yes, but also by the fact that the profit incentive to make things that last is just not there. If a product breaks within a short time, the same customer will buy a new one, and ultimately, companies will earn more. While it is difficult to see how this incentive structure can be changed, it must! It makes no sense to engineer things that only work for a short term.
Read more...
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By Maxie
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Created: Thursday, 31 January 2013 00:00
The Golden Girls Foundation and Ruby Cup are partnering and Ruby Cup sponsors 60 Ruby Cups to girls near Kisumu. The Golden Girls Foundation acts as implementating partner and conducts initial surveys and follow ups. They have conducted a baseline survey illustrating the problem of menstrual hygiene management in Kisumu and you can read the baseline survey here.
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By Maxie
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Created: Friday, 04 January 2013 00:00
Over the past course of the year, Ruby Cup has engaged in a collaboration with WoMena Ltd and the Red Cross in Uganda. WoMena Ltd conducted a study investigating the "Acceptability and hygienic safety of menstrual cups as a menstrual management method for vulnerable young women in Uganda Red Cross Society´s Life Planning Skills Project".
The study was carried out by Marianne Tellier, Maria Hyttel and Mai Gad. The results were extremely positive and have led to Ruby Cup sponsoring additional 200 cups for conducting a larger scale study in Uganda in 2013. We are very excited and thankful for this wonderful partnership. Please contact us at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
if you wish to read the full study.
The conclusion of the study says: "The menstrual cup appears to be highly acceptable, practical and hygienically safe to use and can contribute to improve the quality of life for girls and women in similar settings. In addition, money saved can be used for e.g. soap for improved menstrual hygiene. This pilot study seems to have reached its objectives of empowering vulnerable women an young girls through improved menstrual hygiene management."
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By Maxie
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Created: Thursday, 20 December 2012 00:00
In collaboration with Eventure in Zambia and the generous sponsorship by two private individuals, around 15 school girls have receivd Ruby Cups. We are extremely delighted about this partnership and are going to develop it further during the course of next year. We are looking for sponsors that would like to purchase Ruby Cups for the girls Eventure is working with. If you would like to become a sponsor og know of anyone who could be interested, please contact Maxie from Ruby Cup at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or Glen from Eventure at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
.
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By Maxie
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Created: Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00
We are happy to attend the 12th World Toilet Summit, The 1st for Africa, hosted by SATO and FPD, in December 2012, have been designed to muster the individual and collective minds of academia, legal professionals, technical specialist, industry leaders, gender advocacy, civil society, governments, educators and all other role players in the fields of sanitation, education, health and hygiene and human rights. You can get more infomation about the summit here
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By Edna
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Created: Thursday, 13 September 2012 00:00
We are proud to announce our nomination for the Sustainia Award, an international award that recognizes sustainable solutions around the world for their ability to drive positive change and elevate sustainable societies. The award is founded by the communications platform Sustainia, and is giving out by no other than former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Sustainia Award Ceremony in Copenhagen, October 11th 2012. Schwarzenegger is joined on stage by former Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, IPCC Chair Dr. Rajendra Pachauri and EU Commissioner Connie Hedegaard. Together they form the judging panel for the Sustainia Award.
We are delighted that Ruby Cup has gained the attention of the Sustainia Award’s honorable judging panel. The nomination is an important acknowledgement to the innovative work we perform, and a true testimony to its positive impact. Joining a pool of nominees from 56 countries from six continents, we are truly competing in the world elite.
Join Schwarzenegger and Us – Get Your Ticket Now
We encourage our friends, fans and network to join the festive Sustainia Award Ceremony with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Denmark’s green capital, Copenhagen. The award ceremony takes place at the historic Royal Theater in Copenhagen. There are 1000 seats and tickets are sold first-come-first-served at a small admission. The ticket sale is now open, so make sure to get your ticket today.
GET YOUR TICKET FOR SUSTAINIA AWARD SHOW HERE
Sustainia is a global initiative that raises awareness of the desirable societies we could live in, if ready and available solutions were implemented at large scale. Developed by world- leading companies, organizations and experts in close collaboration with UN Global Compact and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s initiative Regions20, Sustainia is the first holistic introduction to the attractive sustainable future
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By Edna
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Created: Friday, 13 July 2012 00:00
We are excited to be awarded second place at the Future Impact Prize 2012 in Lugano, Switzerland. The Prize is sponsored by Fidelity Worldwide Investment to support ideas that have the potential to become solutions of the future. Veronica pitched Ruby Cup in front of several prestigious judges at the inaugural Partnering for Global Impact conference
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By Edna
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Created: Monday, 02 July 2012 00:00
So happy to partner with Miss Koch Kenya, an NGO that runs various initiatives to improve the lives of the residents of Korogocho in Nairobi. Since 2001, Miss Koch Kenya has been arranging girls sports tournaments, talent and skills development training, Koch Fest, funded secondary children’s school fees, taught residents on reproductive health, and established a resource centre in the middle of the slum. Today, Miss Koch Kenya initiatives mainly run from four different programs: Daraja, Badilika, Wadada, Burudika, and from the resource centre.
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By Maxie
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Created: Thursday, 21 June 2012 00:00
Voice of America: Kenya, February 2012: "Roughly half of all girls in slums of Kenya have sex with older men in exchange for sanitary napkins. In response to these estimates, healthcare advocates are distributing napkins to girls as part of a nationwide campaign". One more reason to work full speed on providing Ruby Cup to girls and women in Kenya. We will work hard to put an end to this situation. Read the full article by Jill Craig in here
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By Maxie
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Created: Wednesday, 23 May 2012 00:00
So glad to be invited to SoCap Sweden, Veronica came home with a big smile on her face. Happy, excited, squirly, and exhausted at the same time. The trip was very fruitful and brought about valuable contacts and knowledge. We were able to spread awareness abour our social mission during pitch sessions that were aired on YouTube
A short recap by Veronica was summing up her experineces on the social innovation website.
Behind the Numbers is – Dating! Thoughts from a start-up social business
The main thing that stuck in my head after participating in SOCAP was Niki Armacost saying: “The hook up between an investor and an entrepreneur is like a relationship, it requires dating”. This was echoed by angel investor Hampus Jakobsson, whose main criteria for investing is “People I want to see again”.
SOCAP was great. I met many people I want to see again, and potential investors that we are now dating…
I was surprised by the banal epiphany of realizing that investors and entrepreneurs make decisions in very similar ways. It always comes down to the people, the passion, and the idea. Much more than ROI, SROI, and what have you. But you have to meet someone first before you can ask them out.
A single mom once told me that her problem was finding the venues to meet a new partner, and that she started kayaking just to meet men. Online can be difficult, because it’s hard to make your personality outshine your profile (business plan) and you easily end up in a drawer of rejections. You might not go clubbing anymore until early morning cause you have a baby to look after (or a company!), and you might not have the money to spend to go to fancy places (expensive conference gatherings where impact investors meet). So where do you find your true love?
SOCAP was definitely a good start, but even there it seemed that investors were not really on the hunt for new meat. Next time, I would say, bring more money, boost the opportunity of getting to know the entrepreneurs and put focus on match-making. Let’s make SOCAP the best dating platform for impact investors and social entrepreneurs.
By Veronica D’Souza
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By Maxie
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Created: Tuesday, 17 April 2012 00:00
Until this date, we have only been introducing Ruby Cups in urban areas around Nairobi. However, the real challenge lies in investigating feasibility and likeability of Ruby Cups in rural areas. Again, the contact to a women\'s group in Wamba came in very handy and we were able to provide Ruby Cups to three school girls at Wamba primary school, Samburo. The girls have been monitored closely by teacher Caroline and are all satisfied with Ruby Cup. Today, their classmates are eager and want to have Ruby Cup as well. One of the head teachers, Barack Okoth, expressed his gratitude:
“I find the Ruby Cup idea so nice. It will go a long way towards helping our girls. It will reduce incidences of absenteeism from school brought about by shame becauce of menstrual hygiene. Thanks a lot!”
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By Maxie
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Created: Friday, 30 March 2012 00:00
We couldn't believe it, when the message arrived that Ruby Cup was selected semi-finalist at the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition in Seattle. So happy to have been selected, we all tried to participate, which was made possible through generous support received from Copenhagen Business School.
We had fun all the way through! As part of the programme, we visited the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and listened to Microsoft's newest approach to innovation. The programme was packed and we learned a lot. The last evening, during a dinner at the Rotary Club in Seattle, the finalists were announced and Ruby Cup was selected Grand Prize winner. We were overwhelmed and incredibly happy.
Of course we had to celebrate this success. And what drink would be better suited than a pink coloured Cosmopolitan á la Ruby Cup?
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By Maxie
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Created: Saturday, 07 January 2012 00:00
The Red Cross Uganda study focuses on empowering girls and women through the introduction of menstrual cups as a method for menstrual management. Maria Hyttel (on the picture) did a wonderful job educating all participants in usage of Ruby Cup, menstrual hygiene and basic reproductive health. And what were the results? So far, girls in Uganda have given very positive feedback and love Ruby Cup. The results of the study will be published on this site as soon as the report is concluded. Stay tuned.
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By Maxie
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Created: Monday, 19 December 2011 00:00
Thank you Segal Family Foundation to support us with your knowledge, expertise and funding.
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By Maxie
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Created: Thursday, 21 July 2011 00:00
Now, we knew that we wanted to give girls and women in Kenya and other developing countries the opportunity to acces Ruby Cup, just as women in developed countries have that opportunity. We were ready to do it, to pack our bags and to kiss our families good bye. The only thing that was missing was plata, pesa, dolares or money. Of course we had our own savings, financial support from family and friends but what really made the difference was a benevolent grant by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency under their Innovations Against Poverty (IAP) programme.
With this grant, we were able to start up Ruby Cup in Kenya. Thank you SIDA!
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By Maxie
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Created: Friday, 15 July 2011 00:00
While in Nairobi, we had the honour to speak to a Danish journalist who organised a press meeting for us back in Denmark. We were lucky to receive our first newspaper attention during "cucumber time" when nothing much is happening in the state of Denmark. An article was made public by the Danish Newspaper, Jyllandsposten, which stated that Ruby Cup could save lives in Africa. Wow, that was quite some responsibility to take upon us. Nevertheless, it inspired us to work even harder and make it happen.
Other newspapers featured the same story, amongst them Berlingske Tidende, and Kristeligt Dagblad two months later released another and more extensive article about our social business, mission and work in Kenya.
At the same time, the Danish Radio (DR) interviewed us and made a story "Tjen penge på menstruation", which was aired in Denmark helping us raise awareness about menstrual hygiene in developing countries. The radio programme was very well received thanks to Julie Aagaard, who was in charge of content, editing and making it the wonderful piece it is today.
In Italy, the Marraiafura blog posted an article, "Le coppette mestruali sostenibli sbarcano in Africa. Ruby Cup un progretto che va ben oltre personlae!" and in Germany "Ein kleiner Diamand aus Silikon" was published in the regional newspaper Eckernförder Zeitung.
These articles and radio programmes are very important for us as they help spread the word about what challenges girls and women are facing every month just because they are females and menstruate. Part of our mission is to put menstruation as an overlooked barrier to development high on the agenda and find the best possible menstrual hygiene solution for girls and women worldwide. Period.
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By Maxie
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Created: Friday, 17 June 2011 00:00
While Julie was busy running from supplier meeting to supplier meeting in Copenhagen and Maxie and Veronica seated in a noisy music playing Matatu on the African continent driving back from Meru to Nairobi, we were surprised by the happy news that Ruby Cup was selected winner of Develop Prize taken place in the Foreign Ministry of Denmark. So thankful, happy and even more grateful to the generous act of our dear friend and advisor, Stefan Maard , who volunteered and represented Ruby Cup while one of us was busy working on the supply chain side of the business and the other two conducting field research. Thank you Develop Prize and Stefan!
Take a look at the Develop Prize certificate here
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By Maxie
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Created: Wednesday, 15 June 2011 00:00
When we began our journey to Kenya in June 2011, in order to conduct a market study, we also made a stop in Meru.
Meru lies 
four hours north of Nairobi and we were lucky to know the CEO of The Village Trust Fund, who put us in contact with various leaders of women's groups that we were able to talk to. The women were talking openly about menstrual hygiene and the products they use out of necessity. Amongst them were rags, sheets, pieces of their maddress and old socks. One girl told us she had to sneak to her father's room and take his socks because she had nothing at hand to manage her menstruation.
On the picture you can see Maxie presenting Ruby Cup to the women who were curious about getting to know this "modern technology". After we left, the women were asking us where and when they could buy Ruby Cups. This was the point where we started to create Ruby Cup by Makit Ltd. Because there was work to be done and we wanted to make it!
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By Maxie
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Created: Tuesday, 12 April 2011 00:00
When we read about the situation girls and women in developing countries are facing when they have their periods, we did not believe it was true. We needed to see it ourselves and talk to these women. And we wanted to find out whether Ruby Cup could be a solution to their problems.
We began researching and quickly found that girls and women faced similar problems regardless which country they were from. Evidence was vast about the fact that menstruation affected girls school attendence negativley from Nepal to India to Zimbabwe. This was overwhelming. We did not know where to start and basically stood in front of a world map with a big question mark in our faces.
Until we found a study carried out by the African Population and Health Research Center in 2008 that investigated the acceptability of menstrual cups in a developing country: Kenya. The study was called "Attitudes Towards, And Acceptability of Menstrual Cups as a Method for Managing Menstruation. Experiences of Schoolgilrs and Women in Nairobi, Kenya" and yielded very positive results in regards to satisfaction and acceptabiility. This was a sign. The journey was meant to start in Kenya.
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