Working with, and for, women at the base of the pyramid

What better way to celebrate Women's Day on the Practitioner Hub than by showcasing some inspiring people and inclusive businesses that are giving women agency at the base of the pyramid.

This story about one man's mission to ensure women in rural India have access to cheap, sanitary pads is truly incredible. Arunachalam Muruganantham risked everything to figure out how he could improve the menstrual hygiene of rural women. He eventually built a machine that produces low cost pads that he has now distributed in villages across the country.

It's hard to believe but according to a 2011 AC Nielsen survey, only 12% of Indian women use sanitary pads. In rural areas, that number goes down to a dismal 2%. While for many, sanitary pads are simply unaffordable (a problem Mr. Muruganantham is beginning to solve), lack of awareness and education about menstrual hygiene is also a major factor. Social enterprise Menstrupedia is addressing this problem by creating entertaining educational materials about menstruation for young village girls. The organisation is one of 24 enterprises that has been shortlisted for the Sankalp Social Enterprise Awards this year. Innovations Against Poverty grantee Makit is improving menstrual hygiene in Kenya with its revolutionary product called the Ruby Cup.

Makit founder teaching women how to use the Ruby Cup

A number of inclusive businesses are improving the lives of women at the BoP by giving them income opportunities. In Bangladesh, JITA has empowered marginal, rural women by training them to be distributors of consumer goods. This case study by the Business Innovation Facility pilot tracks its journey. Mitimeth's work with women in the Niger delta is equally impressive. The organisation has been training women to turn the invasive water hyacinth that has been clogging up the river into sustainable handicrafts, thereby providing them with a means of livelihood. These videos (not longer available) about the initiative show how beneficial it has been.

These are just a few of the incredible inclusive businesses we've come across that are making a huge difference to women's lives in developing countries. Look at our BIF and IAP project pages for more.

Do you know of other initiatives that are empowering women at the BoP? We'd love to hear about them.

This DFID infographic sums up the stark reality of life for a young girl in a developing country: