SMU social sciences alumna Ms Vanessa Paranjothy and her sisters have created the "freedom cup". The bell-shaped cup can be fitted under the cervix to collect menstrual blood for up to 12 hours, then washed with soap and water to be reused. Each cup can last up to 15 years, the equivalent of about 5,000 disposable sanitary products, making it a more economical and eco-friendly option, she said. In 2015, the sisters founded Freedom Cups, a social enterprise that promotes the use of these reusable menstrual cups. To date, they have distributed 3,000 cups to underprivileged women in Singapore and around the world. They have also embarked on 15 projects around the globe, from Nepal to Nigeria, where they teach women about menstruation and the cups before distributing them. Last year, the sisters made it to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, which recognises 30 outstanding individuals in each field – from social entrepreneurship to sports.