WoMena

What WoMena does

WoMena is a Danish-founded non-governmental organization (with a Ugandan sister entity) established in 2012 to address menstrual health management (MHM) challenges in low-resource contexts. Its portfolio centers on physical products—menstrual cups made from 100% medical grade silicone (FDA- and UNBS-cleared, ~$7 per unit in Uganda, rated for up to 10 years of use), reusable washable pads, and packaged menstrual health kits—distributed alongside complementary educational resources and global research syntheses. The organization runs school-based interventions, refugee settlement programs, and consulting packages for NGOs, with its flagship implementation being the MENISCUS III randomized controlled trial across 60 secondary schools in Uganda.

The organization operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct field implementation (school and refugee programs), donor-funded grant delivery, and professional services (intervention design, policy briefs, advocacy packages) sold to NGOs, private companies, and government entities. Its customer segments span adolescent girls and young women (primary beneficiaries), NGOs and implementing organizations, research institutions (MRC/UVRI, LSHTM, Ugandan universities), refugee populations, and policymakers. Menstrual cups are also made available through resale partnerships including Marie Stopes Uganda and online channels.

WoMena is funded primarily through grants and donor partnerships, with Ruby Life providing in-kind menstrual cup donations and revenue-generating services consisting of intervention design and implementation support. The organization is led by public health and international development professionals, with a team of 60+ people from 15+ nationalities supported by 200+ volunteers in 15 countries. It has earned recognition from UNFPA, WHO, and the UN Human Rights Council, and contributes to regulatory standards development for menstrual products in Uganda through its partnership with UNBS.

Name

WoMena

Legal name

WoMena

Website

https://womena.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WoMena is a Danish-Ugandan NGO founded in 2012 that distributes medical grade silicone menstrual cups, reusable pads, and educational resources while conducting research, school-based interventions, and advocacy to improve menstrual health for adolescent girls, refugees, and underserved women.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Menstrual Health Management Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAIAD

Sexual & Reproductive Health & Family Planning (SRH/FP) Programs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Global Health & Population Programs

SECONDARYBPAGABAF

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

SECONDARYCRABAIAE

Menstrual Cups

Consumer Products & Retail/Beauty & Personal Care/Feminine Care

SECONDARYHLAJAKAG

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

SECONDARYBPAGAFAD

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

Keywords

• Menstrual health management
• Menstrual cup distribution
• Reproductive health programs
• NGO humanitarian services
• Global health interventions

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donor Partnerships: WoMena operates as an NGO funded through grants and donor partnerships. The organization receives support from funding partners for project implementation, research trials, and advocacy activities. Ruby Life provides essential menstrual cup donations. WoMena Uganda is registered as a Ugandan NGO (INTR13028559NB).
2. Implementation Support and Consulting Services: WoMena provides intervention design and implementation support packages to NGOs, private companies, and government entities. Activities include communication and awareness raising to the general public, policy briefs, stakeholder analysis, and advocacy packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WoMena is a Danish-founded non-governmental organization that promotes evidence-based menstrual health management (MHM), primarily by distributing medical-grade silicone menstrual cups, reusable pads, and Menstrual Health (MH) Kits, alongside educational resources and intervention design services. The organization implements school-based programs, refugee settlement interventions, and randomized controlled trials (e.g., MENISCUS III) in Uganda, while also providing policy advocacy and implementation support packages to NGOs, private companies, and government entities.

Product overview

WoMena is a Danish NGO focused on menstrual health management (MHM) that offers a portfolio of physical products and educational resources. The core products include menstrual cups (MCs) made from medical grade silicone, menstrual health kits, and reusable pads—all distributed to empower girls and women in low-income contexts. These products are complemented by a comprehensive suite of educational resources including the '10 Reasons Menstrual Cups Can Be a Good Solution' document, 'Menstrual Cup Short FAQs and Answers', and 'Male Engagement in Menstrual Health Strategy' publications. WoMena also provides intervention design and support packages as services to other NGOs and private companies. The organization conducts multidisciplinary research, including the MENISCUS trial, and publishes monthly Global Research Updates. Rather than a traditional software platform, WoMena operates as an NGO with a product-distribution and education model centered on menstrual cup technology and menstrual health awareness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Menstrual Cups (MCs) Reusable menstrual cups made from 100% medical grade silicone that collect (rather than absorb) menstrual blood, hold approximately 30ml, and can be reused for up to 10 years. Provided to girls and women in low-income contexts, particularly in Uganda, at approximately $7 USD per unit.
• Menstrual Health Kits Comprehensive kits containing menstrual products and educational/support materials to help girls and women manage menstruation with dignity. WoMena distributed 6,390 MH Kits during the 2021/2022 reporting period across schools and community programs in Uganda.
• Reusable Pads Washable, reusable menstrual pads marketed as needing 4 pads lasting 2 years, with each pad replacing 33-65 disposable pads over its lifespan. WoMena distributed 1,197 reusable pads during 2021/2022 as an alternative product offering.
• Intervention Design and Implementation Support Packages Professional services offering context examination, activity planning, tool development, and staff training to NGOs, private companies, and government entities implementing menstrual health programs. Includes policy briefs, stakeholder analysis, communication and awareness raising, and advocacy packages.
• MENISCUS Trial Implementation A school-based menstrual health intervention evaluated through a randomized controlled trial across 60 secondary schools in Uganda, led by MRC/UVRI and LSHTM with WoMena Uganda leading implementation. Includes puberty and menstruation training, menstrual kit distribution, WASH facility improvements, drama skits, menstrual health action groups, and pain management support.

Quantifiable outcome

• During 2021/2022, WoMena reached 11,911 people with Menstrual Health knowledge, distributed 6,390 MH Kits, 6,462 menstrual cups, and 1,197 reusable pads, reaching 28 schools.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and flagship.

• Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute (MRC/UVRI) UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRC/UVRI leads the research aspects of the MENISCUS III randomized controlled trial in collaboration with LSHTM. This is a school-based menstrual health intervention evaluated in 60 secondary schools in Uganda. WoMena Uganda leads the implementation of the activities.
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSHTM collaborates with MRC/UVRI on the research design and evaluation of the MENISCUS III trial, with WoMena Uganda leading implementation activities across 60 schools in Wakiso and Kalungu Districts.
• Ruby Cup / Ruby LifekeyOthersRuby Life provides essential Menstrual Cup donations to WoMena's programs. Ruby Cup is mentioned as a key funding partner for the 2021/2022 reporting period and has been featured in WoMena's refugee settlement interventions in Imvepi and Adjumani.
• CARE InternationalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARE International partnered with WoMena on the Ruby Cups intervention in Imvepi Refugee Settlement, providing menstrual cups, training, and support to refugee girls. The partnership has documented positive outcomes including reduced teasing and increased school attendance.
• UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNFPA commissioned WoMena to produce a review paper on Menstrual Health Management in East and Southern Africa (2018) and featured WoMena's work in the 2021 ACMHM symposium preparation. WoMena contributed to the 2022 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights panel on menstrual hygiene management.
• Ugandan UniversitieskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoMena conducts multidisciplinary research and evaluations in collaboration with Ugandan universities, supporting evidence generation for menstrual health interventions in Uganda.
• Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS)keyOthersWoMena assists UNBS in developing product-specific standards for menstrual products in Uganda. Every batch of MCs imported by WoMena has been fully cleared by UNBS, pre-shipment and upon arrival, and additionally lives up to FDA standards. WoMena has never had a batch rejected.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Days for Girls: US-headquartered nonprofit that distributes reusable menstrual kits and runs education programs across 100+ countries. Directly comparable to WoMena's reusable pad distribution, school-based training, and global volunteer ambassador model.
• AFRIpads: Ugandan social enterprise manufacturing reusable sanitary pads, headquartered near WoMena Uganda. Directly overlaps on product category (reusable pads), geography (Uganda), and target customer (schoolgirls and refugee populations).
• Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE): NGO/social enterprise advancing menstrual health products and education in East Africa (notably Rwanda). Comparable to WoMena's combination of product access, local manufacturing/promotion, advocacy, and behavior-change programming.
• Ruby Cup: Berlin-based social enterprise that manufactures and donates medical-grade silicone menstrual cups and is a key product donor to WoMena. Directly comparable product (menstrual cups), end-beneficiaries (girls in LMICs), and donor-funded distribution model.
• Irise International: UK-registered charity focused on period poverty research and intervention in East Africa. Comparably sized peer that shares WoMena's evidence-led approach, school-based intervention focus, and SRHR advocacy agenda.
• The Cup Foundation: US-based nonprofit distributing menstrual cups and education globally. Directly comparable product (cups), mission, and beneficiary population to WoMena, though operating at a different geographic scale.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF: Global UN agency running major adolescent health, WASH, and gender programs that frequently include menstrual health. A potential large-scale funder/partner; competes for the same donor and ministry relationships WoMena pursues.
• WaterAid: Global WASH-focused NGO that has made menstrual hygiene management a strategic priority. Overlaps with WoMena on WASH-facility improvements, MHM advocacy, and school-based interventions, but operates across a much broader portfolio.
• UNFPA: UN agency that commissioned WoMena's East and Southern Africa menstrual health review. Operates the global SRHR agenda, sets policy and funding norms that WoMena's programs align with, and is a flagship WoMena partner.
• PSI (Population Services International): Global health nonprofit with a social-marketing network distributing reproductive health products (including menstrual health items) in LMICs. Comparable on product distribution model and target geographies, though across a wider SRHR portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WoMena_Official
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz4_Y3ARoWXuMwylZGrqX5A/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/WoMena.1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/womena_ngo
• Instagraminstagram.com/womena_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WoMena