Lúmina
Maria
Maria is a social impact application focused on menstrual health and dignity. It helps girls access reliable information about their menstrual cycle in a simple and respectful way. The app also connects users to support networks, donation points, and initiatives that provide menstrual hygiene products. Designed to be accessible and easy to use, Maria aims to reduce stigma, prevent school absenteeism, and support girls in vulnerable situations by promoting education, awareness, and well-being.
Technical Elements
Entrepreneurship
Regional Pitch Events
Learning Journey
Learning Journey
Our team learned a lot during the development of Maria, both technically and socially. We faced challenges with MIT App Inventor, especially integrating features like a chatbot and organizing screens, which we overcame through testing, research, and teamwork.
We also dealt with non-technical challenges, such as understanding the problem and addressing a sensitive topic respectfully, using reliable information and careful language.
In addition, we improved our teamwork skills by dividing tasks and listening to different perspectives. These experiences strengthened our project and our goal of creating a positive social impact.
Information Legitimacy Description
Our team ensured the legitimacy of the information by verifying it through reliable sources, such as official websites, health organizations, and recognized educational materials. We also used forms with the general public to collect opinions and better understand the problem, carefully analyzing the responses. Whenever possible, we cross-checked information across multiple sources to avoid errors or inaccuracies and prioritized up-to-date content. This process helped ensure that Maria’s content is educational, safe, and trustworthy for users.
Bibliography
View your bibliographyEthics
During the development of the Maria application, the team considered ethics as a fundamental principle, especially because it addresses a sensitive topic such as menstrual health. Attention was given to user privacy, avoiding the collection of unnecessary data and prioritizing the protection of information.
The form of communication was also considered, adopting clear, respectful, and welcoming language, without judgment. The team sought to ensure inclusion and accessibility, allowing the application to be understood and used by girls from different social contexts.
In addition, there was concern for the reliability of information, ensuring that the content provided is educational and accurate. Finally, all decisions were guided by a commitment to positive social impact, aiming to promote dignity, information, and support for users.
