Dandelight: Empowering Women in Climate Disasters with Essential Resources
Dandelight is a basic emergency kit for women and girls facing climate disasters and emergencies. Designed by Cyntia Abarca for her thesis, Changing Climate: Elevating Women and Youth as Agents of Action, the project addresses both energy access and the specific needs of women in crisis situations. The kit includes menstrual essentials and a solar panel charger, all housed in a waterproof, ergonomic fanny pack. As Cyntia explains, "Securing access in frontline communities presents significant challenges, from obtaining resources and communication to providing specific products for women and girls, with energy being crucial for access to all of these."
Dandelight represents much more than just a kit.
Menstrual essentials equate to dignity for women, while energy symbolizes agency, communication, and access.
Dandelight includes essential menstrual products designed to last approximately three months, such as tampons, pads, towels, water purification tablets, flasks, and antiseptic wipes—necessary for proper menstrual care. It also features a solar panel charger and battery, complete with two phone charging cables: Type C and USB.
Women face specific needs during emergencies or climate-related disasters, including accessing resources and managing periods, which continue regardless of circumstances. Dandelight is more than just an emergency kit: it combines energy and menstrual essentials into one easily portable product.
The practical design is resilient to the challenges of climate disasters. It adapts to various body types, serving as a pack for immediate carrying menstrual essentials and a solar panel charger. Cyntia says the aim of the Dandelight project is to bring hope and power to women amid a crisis, especially those in poverty or in frontline communities. Its feminine yet strong design reflects the specific needs of women and emphasizes the importance of addressing them.
Process & Research
The World Bank estimates that over 500 million women and girls worldwide lack adequate menstrual supplies and hygiene facilities, a condition expected to worsen as the climate crisis intensifies. In frontline communities, areas highly exposed to the effects of climate change, securing access presents significant hurdles. These challenges range from obtaining resources and communication to providing specific products for women and girls, with energy crucial to accessing all of these.
Cyntia explains that the idea for designing the Dandelight kit arose from recognizing that these needs should be intentionally addressed, considering the particular requirements of women in such conditions. “After some design explorations, the kit was developed with waterproof and ergonomic features, contrasting the existing 'dignity kit' provided by the UN, which only contains menstrual essentials,” she shares of the process. “Dandelight's size and form were designed for easier portability, addressing the limitations of current offerings.”
Cyntia’s first prototype was a simple fabric pencil case with some pads inside to understand the form and structure of the solar panel once placed on it. As her sketching continued, the kit shape evolved, and a new paper fanny pack prototype was tested with some female users before the sewing process with the final material began. The fanny pack was made from ripstop, a waterproof and durable fabric used in other outdoor products.
Cyntia says another critical design consideration was the quantity of menstrual supplies the bag should hold, ensuring it could accommodate enough reusable pads, tampons, or regular pads to last at least three months. The kit includes an outside compartment to store the solar panel charger when not in use. It also features two adjustable straps on both sides of the bag to carry the solar panel battery or a water flask.
To learn more about Cyntia Abarca's work, take a look at the other thesis projects that make up Changing Climate: Elevating Women and Youth as Agents of Action. Find more of her design work at cyntiaabarca.com.