Malawi - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Stem cups are menstrual cups that will help in health and sanitation issue in women and adolescent girls. they are able to last fro many year, leakage free and re-useable.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

STEM which is an abbreviation for safeguarding, training and empowering malawi is a social enterprise register in 2024. Its main objective is to empower Malawians through education and entrepreneurship, this programs are designed to cater to people from different social and economic backgrounds. This is all made possible with its expertise and technology. Currently we have 5 programs penya ana, penya tsogolo, stem consult, stem acandt and penya dziko. penya ana is a program that looking at the development, mental health, nutrition, health and safety of a child to ensure they start and stay in school , while penya dziko focuses on environmental safeguarding of Malawi. The stem menstrual cups are a combination of penya ana and penya dziko, they will be distributed to youth girls and women to reduce period poverty in the country and they will also aid in the reduction of waste and pollution in the country. Our organisation is aiming to use this product to aid the vulnerable girl child

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

on average a girl/women will spend $80 per year buying menstrual products, this is not an accessible to the average malawian that is living below the poverty line. this leaves a large population, about 85% forced to use unsanitary nor sustainable items for their menstruration. those who are abale to afford use product that an not biodegradable like pads and tampons. An average girl will contribute to 5kgs of waste per year due to the use of such sanitary products, because sanitary products are a need and not a want this non-biodegradeable waste will continue to pile up.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

We would like to introduce menstrual cup into the country to reduce period poverty amongst women and girl as well as reduce the waste being created by using sanitary products such as pads and tampons. The benefit of these cups include: 1. long lasting, the average cup can last up to 10 years of being used this means once a client has it they will not need another other products for 10 years 2. Affordable, our cups will be set at a price that will be able to make accessible to the average malawian, because we are a social enterprise we will hold campaigns such as buy one cup donate one, this will ensure we are able to reduce period poverty to those that dont have 3. environmentally friendly, the cups will enable the reduction of waste in the country that is coming from the use of other sanitary product that an non-biodegradable, the use of the cup for the life time by one girl will reduce waste of up to 500kgs 4. Zero lickage, no lickages while using the cups will occur.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

the product is aimed to serve women and adolescent girls. currently in malawi 52% are women making the population of women about 10 million, all of which will one day will be able to use of purchase our products. The target population is large but for a start we will start by catering to the population in our target area being lilongwe and nkhotakota which the two districtrict female population is totaling 1.4million women.

01.05 When was your company established?

2024-01-10

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

0

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

the orgainsation is founded by sandra mtaula- holder of two bachelors degree one is marketing and another in banking and finance, has certification in digital marketing, customer relations, human rights, project planning, monitoring and evaluation. She has worked in the NGO sector for over 3 years, experience working as a lecturer, marketer, facilitator and business consultant. She has skills in graphic designing, product designing, business development, public speaking, facilitation, and community engagement.

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

www.stemalhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/stem-ltd/?viewAsMember=truea

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

d) Primary commodities (food, drink, household and personal products)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

We are looking to end period poverty in malawi by providing long last sanitary products that will cater all women and adolescent girls. with our buy one and donate one campaign we will be able to service those who are vulnerable and are unable to afford the products at the retail price.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

5

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

on average a women or adolescent girl will use $80 on sanitary product per year, with the use of our product they will be able to increase their disposable income since the money use for sanitary products will significanty drop by almost by 80%.

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

sanitary product as a need and not a want for a womans health aand well being. not having sanitary product will affect the way one works, some will be abscent due to fear of the embatrance that comes with not have sanitary products at the time. it will also affects mental health when they worry due to the lack of a basic need.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

It has been found that young girl that do not have sanitary products in rural areas will either be abscent form classes the whole period of their menstruation or will entertain men who will be able to buy them the products they need during this time. This lead to drop out rates among girls in rural areas, the provision of the ,menstrual products to such adolense girls will give them a chance to stay ins school longer.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

4

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

The product is a sanitary product, it will be used by girl and women during the menstrual cycle. the use of the product will significant reduce the among of waste in the country that is being damped in river, lakes, damp sites or toilets. the waste to be saved by one adolence girl is averaging 500kg in the period they use the mentral cup and the more people using the cup the less waste being deposited into the earth.

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

4

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

6

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

Their is no Malawian company that is produce or sale mustrural cups. the product/ distribution of such product will revolutionalize the sanitary products industry in the country which heavily relies on products such as pads and tampoos that are imported.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

3

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

The issues with period poverty is its more experience some the poor and vulnerable communities. they product will be able to reduce the inequalities that redar other in period poverty. with a product that last for a long period of time we will be able to eliviate vulnerable groups from the distress caused by period poverty.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

2

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

6

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

to be able to fight global warming their is need to reduce the amount of waste that was in the world and the reduce the amount of new waste. the use of menstrual cup will reduce the use of product made from non-biodegradable materials. the use of the product will be part of fulfillment of climate action.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

the waste that comes from the use of sanitatry products such as pads and tampons will end up as damp site, field, river and lakes and become a danger to the environment and the animals that live it in. with the high level of pollution they animals are at risk choking or even being killed with the trash. The use of menstrual cups reduces the levels of pollution and will lead into the land and life being safer. in malawi with over 8 million females being in the age where they use menstrual products almost 40 million kgs of trash are is being put into the land per year. the use of the menstral cups will reduce this by almost 80%.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

4

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

4

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

6

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

3

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

6

06.08 Justification for my startup

long lasting- the cup can be worn for up to 10 hours without having any negative impact on one's heath and hygeine while other menstrual product can be used for a period of 5 hours maximum. variety in color- the cups will come in different colors that will allow people to choice eco friendly- is one one of the few snitary product that reduces pollution and waste in tghe environment no leakage- all sanitary product as prone to leakages but the cup ensures zero leakages long term- most sanitary menstrual products are disposable meaning they are one use, and even some that re resuabale have a very short life span of 1-2 year maximum. the cap is able to last 10 years

06.09 Competitive Analysis

the main competitors are : purity, always, lil let ,kotex and ruby cup those are the brands of pads and tampons that are found on the country. ruby cup is the only company that produces the menstrual cups, the cups are not made availble to purchases for anyone in the country for their main customer are NGOs that are looking to distribute them to vulnerable people. From the list above only purity actually manufactures its products in the country while all other brand are imported from south africa, kenya and europe.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

yes, the other program in the organsiation being stem academy and penta tsogolo provide training in entrepreneuship, digital skills, and management to help youth including women to become entrepreneurs. we have managed plan to train 300 females in the trainings listened above in the year 2024.