Taking the initiative to empower menstruators and make information and resources related to menstrual health and hygiene more accessible, Fems recently launched its trilingual period-tracking app ‘Fio’. The app can be used to track one’s cycle, but also access information on menstruation and seek expert advice as well as community help on issues and concerns related to menstruation.
The app was launched on 15 October, with Fems representatives giving those in attendance a better idea of the importance of period tracking and the features of Fio.
With Fio, users can easily log their period dates to receive accurate predictions on their cycles and ovulation. The app also has an ‘Ask a Doctor’ feature, through which users can access personalised health advice, while the community section provides a platform for users to share their experiences and seek support.
The app sends reminders of important dates and also gives users access to the Hemas e-store, through which they can order sanitary napkins and other items.
From chatbot to app
Fio, the app, was born out of the Fems’ WhatsApp chatbot of the same name. According to Fems, the chatbot generated 17,000 automated messages and facilitated over 4,000 individual chats within 40 days of its launch in August 2023. Taking the audience on a journey from the launch of the chatbot to the launch of the app was Hemas Holdings Director (Group Corporate Affairs) Janakie Karunaratne, who began by going into detail about Hemas’ journey of purpose, empowering families to aspire for a better tomorrow.
It was as part of this journey that their brand Fems was presented with research data, Karunaratne said, explaining: “In that data, it showed that out of the 4.5 million menstruating women in Sri Lanka, only 30% used a sanitary napkin.” With this data in hand, Fems decided to look at the reasons why women were not using sanitary napkins.
“When they went into that detail, they found that there were so many things that were holding women back. It was a fact that there were so many myths surrounding it. It was a fact that they didn’t have access to low-cost sanitary napkins. There were many reasons behind this and Fems decided that they would take on this project and see how they could empower women to take control of their period. And with that started our Fems Aya project.”
Two years later, the HER Foundation was launched, and it was through the HER Foundation that the Fio chatbot came to be. Fems saw how the app was embraced widely, with users asking questions related to menstrual health and hygiene and accessing information and resources.
Karunaratne explained that questions directed at the chatbot, such as ‘Can I have a bath during my period?’, showed how we have almost failed to educate young people about something as basic as menstruation. This was an issue Fems decided to tackle, and thus came the Fio app.
However, in a world where thousands of apps are launched a day, Fio aims to be different. “It’s not just about an app launch. It is about that young girl who asked if it’s okay to have a bath during her period. It’s about giving access; it’s about giving information; it’s about empowering her to take control of her life, of her menstrual journey,” Karunaratne said.
She reminded those gathered that they were not there for a mere app launch. “You are here to see how this will revolutionise the way women take control back of the most basic thing that happens to them,” she said.
Discussing the taboo
Menstruation is generally regarded as a taboo topic in Sri Lanka. However, Fio could be instrumental in changing this, making menstruation a topic we can talk about more openly, especially when it comes to issues and concerns. The role Fio could play in this regard was discussed by a panel at the event, with content creator Saasha Karunarathne speaking from a consumer perspective and talking about her own usage of period-tracking apps.
Also part of the panel was Fems Marketing Manager Sachini Gamage, who said: “Fems is a brand that is really driven by its purpose of generating an environment for Sri Lankan women to rise above, be independent, and be empowered. With that purpose in mind, of course, we are going beyond our product and trying to introduce solutions to Sri Lankan women to manage their menstrual health and hygiene with dignity and uplift menstrual health and hygiene in Sri Lanka. That’s what Fems stands for.”
She said the brand strongly believed that education and awareness were key to uplifting menstrual health and hygiene in Sri Lanka. While Fio is providing a platform for this, localising the topic, it has partnered with Ayubo Healthcare Solutions to connect users with access to verified medical professionals.
Representing Ayubo Health at the event was Dr. Dilini Chandrananda, who addressed a key question: Is period tracking important?
The direct answer, according to Dr. Chandrananda, was yes. She explained that in her experience as a medical professional, many women seek medical advice for period-related problems only at a later stage, when symptoms have become unbearable for them.
Period tracking, or the lack thereof, plays a role here. “They are not familiar with the pattern of their cycle. If they track their periods regularly, they can identify that there is something going wrong in their cycle, like having irregular periods or having long-lasting menstrual cycles, where the number of bleeding days are more – or less. Or they are experiencing severe pain, which would be some key features of a serious pathology that is underlying. These can be early warning signs of an underlying illness.”
By tracking one’s period, menstruators can identify certain signs early on and seek medical help. Period tracking is also important to track ovulation, in knowing one’s fertility window. This was important not just for women trying to conceive, but also for those who do not wish to get pregnant.
Period tracking will thus not only help individuals, but will also reduce the burden on the health sector, Dr. Chandrananda said, emphasising the importance of using apps like Fio.