Syed Saif Ul Hassan 
Mar 09, 2024
Aisha clutched the worn copy of a health magazine, its pages whispering secrets in the dim light of her room. Each rustle felt like a drumbeat in the suffocating silence. Menstruation, a natural occurrence, was treated like a dirty word in their household. Conversations about pregnancy were limited to veiled references and nervous glances. Aisha yearned to understand her own body, a yearning that clashed with the ingrained societal norms. The weight of unspoken questions pressed down on her, a silent scream trapped within. But a spark of defiance ignited in her eyes. Tonight, she wouldn't be silenced. With a deep breath, she clutched the magazine, ready to navigate the uncharted territory of open communication.
The stigma linked to these topics also leads to women feeling ashamed and embarrassed. One of the major challenges that play a major role in worsening this issue is the limited access to information, especially for those belonging to the middle segment of the socio-economic class.
While speaking to Gadinsider, Mahnoor Farishta, the CEO of Khair, said: "Pakistani women, regardless of their socio-economic background lack basic awareness when it comes to their menstrual and reproductive health."
This lack of education can result in various health issues, including severe diseases due to poor menstrual hygiene practices that later lead to complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and even infertility.
How Khair started
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mahnoor initiated a health preventive blog named Khair, aiming to address the negligence of menstruation and pregnancy-related issues.
As the blog gained popularity and traction with time, Mahnoor turned the potential to expand her reach and impact through a dedicated platform, developing a software application called Khair in 2021, which is available on the Play Store and offers all its content in English, Roman and Urdu (local language of Pakistan).
Reflecting on the hindrances she encountered amid the development of the Khair app, Mahnoor said: "It was a real challenge for our small team of four people to build an app from scratch with financial constraints and limited resources," as is the case with every startup in Pakistan.
Khair: All-in-one solution to women’s health
Khair serves as a comprehensive platform dedicated to providing accurate information and resources related to reproductive health, menstruation, pregnancy, and other related topics.
By offering content in the local language, the app ensures accessibility for individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, including those who may have limited literacy or access to sources of information about their oral health.
Mahnoor's vision behind Khair was to break the taboo surrounding these topics and empower women and girls in particular to take charge of their health and well-being. Through user-friendly features such as informative articles, educational videos, and interactive tools, Khair aims to dispel myths, challenge stigma, and promote healthy practices among its users.
Pakistan's first femtech startup
Khair is leading the way in femtech startups in Pakistan with a population of 80 million women in their reproductive age. The app is designed for South Asian women, addressing their unique health needs and aiming to break the taboos and misconceptions surrounding menstrual health in our society, remarked Mahnoor.
Mahnoor was of the view that the vision in sight for Khair is to empower Pakistani women by providing them with health information to promote positive lifestyle changes.
In case you're not familiar with femtech startups, these are initiatives that focus on technology-based solutions to oversee women's health and wellness needs, including menstruation tracking, fertility, pregnancy monitoring, and menopause. These innovative ventures aim to bridge the gap in healthcare access and empower women to take control of their reproductive health and overall well-being.
Despite rumours of operational setbacks due to financial constraints, CEO Mahnoor observed that financial challenges are common for startups during the early stages.
"We recently won a grant from Standard Chartered Women in Tech to increase our impact nationwide and look forward to providing more women with easy access to preventive health information, doctors and testing," Mahnoor said, and with renewed funding, she aims to further expand the app's reach and enhance its capabilities.
Khair's community support page
One of its standout features is a community page where users can ask questions and receive expert responses, fostering a supportive environment for open dialogue and knowledge sharing.
Tools to oversee reproductive health and more
In addition to educational blogs on menstruation and pregnancy, the app offers the following practical tools listed below:
- Period tracker
- Pregnancy tracker
- Breast cancer self-examination guide
- Diabetes analyser
Consult with doctors right away
Furthermore, users can conveniently book appointments with healthcare professionals through the app, with a range of clinics and specialists available on the app.
Besides letting users book appointments with the doctors right away, Khair also has a feature that locates nearby hospitals using the user's device location, offering convenience and accessibility to users seeking instant medical care, as shown in the picture above.
Khair offers instant doctor appointments and locates nearby hospitals using the user's device location, offering convenience and accessibility to users seeking instant medical care, as shown in the picture above.
A marketplace for menstrual hygiene products
However, what sets Khair apart is its commitment to social impact. While the app serves as a marketplace for purchasing menstrual hygiene products, it follows a goodwill business model, donating two packs of pads for every six packets bought through the app.
This initiative not only promotes menstrual hygiene but also addresses the issue of period poverty, ensuring that the lower class of society has access to essential hygiene products.
