Sinaya Cup Founder and CEO Audrey Tangonan Among 10 Finalists of the International Grant Challenge

The entrepreneur behind the Philippines’ first-ever menstrual cup brand, Sinaya Cup, is currently making waves internationally as one of the 10 women finalists in a prestigious grant competition.

Audrey Tangonan is representing Sinaya Cup, which made it to the Top 10 Women-Led Startups in the Asia-Pacific Region in the LiftHER Female Founders Grant Challenge.

The menstrual cup company founder and chief executive officer is set to fly to Melbourne, Australia, to participate in a grant competition on March 27. If she wins, her social enterprise will bring home funding worth AU$20,000 or more than Php 700,000. 

People can vote for Sinaya Cup for the People’s Choice Award, which will come with a AU$10,000 cash prize for the organization. For more information on how to vote, they can check out the brand’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sinayacup. 

Tangonan said Sinaya Cup will use the prizes to set up the production of the first Filipino-designed menstrual cup, which is the culmination of eight years of research and consultation with the brand’s avid supporters collectively known as the Sinaya Tribe.

The menstrual cup brand will also launch a crowdfunding campaign on March 25 to raise another AU$20,000. Backers of the crowdfunding will be able to receive unique rewards and donate to Sinaya Cup’s partner community.

Besides making menstrual cups available to more Filipinas, Sinaya Cup has also been committed to providing menstrual and reproductive health education to women and girls. 

Over the years, it has partnered with public schools in different parts of the country to teach its scholars about women empowerment, body understanding and acceptance, and goal-driven values. These scholars also receive free menstrual cups upon completion of the course.

Sinaya Cup has also worked with communities outside the school setting, particularly those in far-flung areas in the country where access to period products and menstrual and reproductive education can be limited. Its program has reached as far as Batanes, where it gave away hundreds of free menstrual cups in partnership with the D&G Kamavvaksan Association.

With these initiatives, Sinaya Cup aims to make significant contributions to the fight against period poverty that persists not only in the country but also in the world, where up to 500 million people still lack access to basic period products and hygiene facilities, according to the World Bank. 

Having served 40,000 customers and 7,000 beneficiaries, the brand also remains committed to helping reduce plastic waste associated with single-use period products like sanitary pads and tampons. 

A single Sinaya Cup can be used for up to five years, so it is equivalent to 1,000 sanitary pads. On average, a woman uses 12,000 pads in her lifetime. But with a menstrual cup, this number is reduced dramatically, therefore helping divert thousands of pads from landfills.