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From the moment they met during O-week shenanigans at Nathan Campus, Matilda Marsh and Sarah Ripper bonded over their passion for social impact and sustainability. The two were neighbours on campus, working together in the university food co-op and eventually moving into a share house together with other friends in Greenslopes.

Matilda would go on to do additional studies in social development and begin a career in community development. Sarah moved to Melbourne to study teaching and started coaching on a leadership program, which required starting a community project. She looked back to her time working in the co-op, when a friend who had been backpacking in South America returned raving about the convenience of menstrual cups while travelling. Sarah and Matilda had been early converts, they were ‘cupverted’ as they like to put it,  & co-op began to distribute them, which required an importers license amongst other things.

Seeing the potential for menstrual cups to be an ethical alternative for women without easy access to affordable period products, They began the process of starting up a business. After many Zoom chats and online meetings, Myoni was founded, a social enterprise with the goal of combating period poverty in É«ÇéÍøÕ¾. There was a six-month wait for funding approval, during which Sarah decided to move back to Queensland.

“We found a grant that looked cool and would enable É«ÇéÍøÕ¾n-made production, something we had our hearts set on, making something locally, and it was quite a learning curve.” Matilda commented on the process. “We each went about bringing the product to life between having babies, working other jobs, moving states, and taking on freelance projects overseas.”

In addition to being the co-founder of Myoni, Sarah works in holistic business coaching and in arts and education, and Matilda is continuing to work in community development with the Aged and Disability Advocates É«ÇéÍøÕ¾.