Tuesday Project Spotlight: Pink Care Token Project for Period Poverty
Updated: Jan 25
THE PROBLEM
According to a 2021 study by BMC Women’s Health, “meeting one’s basic needs—food, water, shelter—is the necessary foundation for health and well-being. Research indicates that the inability to meet these needs can affect individuals’ mental health. For instance, in a study of 2,870 mothers across 18 cities in the U.S., prevalence of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder increased with severity of food insecurity after controlling for factors such as income and past-year eviction. This suggests that unmet basic needs, such as food and nutrition, can impact mental health above and beyond other hardships.” Menstrual hygiene is also considered a basic need. However, the World Bank estimates that 500 million women and girls globally lack access to adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management.
Source: https://youtu.be/V3_mJ-pAPTw.
The Global Menstrual Collective defines menstrual health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in relation to the menstrual cycle.” It notes that people should have:
access to information about menstruation, life changes, and hygiene practices;
the ability to care for themselves during menstruation;
access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services;
the ability to receive a diagnosis for menstrual cycle disorders and access to healthcare;
a positive, supportive environment in which to make informed decisions; &
the ability to participate in all aspects of life, such as going to work and school.
Yet, according to a 2014 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report, 1 out of every 10 menstruating youth misses school during their menstrual cycle due to lack of access to menstrual products and resources. In fact, as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s PolicyLab notes, in developing parts of the world, menstruating youth are prone to using paper, old clothes, leaves, cotton, or wool pieces rather than more traditional menstrual products like disposable pads or tampons. Many schools in the developing sub-Saharan Africa nations have insufficient toilets and inadequate privacy measures, as well as poor water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, making it difficult for students to safely manage their menstrual cycle.
A PROPOSED SOLUTION
Girls at @NakigoS lined up to get registered for the Pink Care Token project. @BinanceBCF volunteers verified their information and took photos to build up a profile for each one of them. So far, 1100 girls have redeemed the #PCAT they received for sanitary pads. #binancecharity pic.twitter.com/40W1Hrrt7K — Binance Africa (@BinanceAfrica) August 2, 2019
In 2019, Binance, through its blockchain-enabled charity platform and philanthropic arm the Blockchain Charity Foundation (BCF), began distributing Pink Care Tokens (PCAT) and delivering packs of reusable sanitary pads to students at Busalamu Secondary School in Bukanga Sub-County, Luuka District, Uganda.
PCAT is a redemption-only stablecoin that promises 100% transparency, zero corruption, and minimal transaction costs because it is backed by goods instead of fiat. This model allows for transparency over the entire process, including: bidding; distribution; and redemption. The PCAT is the only social impact token aimed at eliminating period poverty.
HOW IT WORKS
Each coin, in essence, sponsors a one year supply of feminine hygiene products for one young woman in the underdeveloped world who cannot afford them. After the bidding, the token is minted on Binance Chain and distributed to the end beneficiaries directly. Only local volunteers and people who help the end beneficiaries open their crypto wallets are involved in the process. No other intermediary can intervene during the token transfer process or affect the price of the token. The last step of the process is the fiat redemption from the Binance exchange.
The reusable sanitary pads delivered to the Ugandan girls. Source: https://www.binance.com/en/blog/all/binance-charity-distributes-pink-care-token-reusable-sanitary-pads-to-1100-girls-in-uganda–358884409909448704.
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
At press time, the PCAT is still being actively traded and still making a difference, so if you’d like to learn more about how you can help end period poverty right now, head on over to Binance!
Source: https://www.binance.charity/project/period-poverty.