Working as part of an interdisciplinary team on an independent study project last fall, Ben Freedman ’15 and Charlotte Wong ’15 set out to understand what prevents girls in the developing world from reaching their fullest potential, and what products could be created to improve girls’ lives and remove barriers to empowerment.
The Yale School of Management students joined forces with design students at the Art Center College of Design in California and identified a “real gap” in the availability of products that alleviate the challenges of using feminine hygiene products in developing countries. Together, the student team developed a product and business plan to launch Flo—a toolkit that allows girls living in poverty to wash, dry, and carry reusable sanitary pads.