By girls, for girls: Meet the voices behind Oky 

We know that in many parts of the world, menstruation can be a topic of fear, shame, or misinformation. This is why we're all for empowering girls to put their menstrual health first with initiatives like Oky!  

Oky is a UNICEF-supported period tracker and education app created by girls, for girls. At a recent Oky hackathon (a hands-on event where participants come together to solve problems and build ideas) in Mongolia, girls spent four intensive days brainstorming and designing to improve Oky's experience even further. 

 Our UNICEF Australia International Programs Manager, Sarah, spoke to Misheel (19) and Nami (17), two inspiring Hackathon participants about what inspired them to join and their experience at the hackathon.  

Hi Nami and Mishel, thanks for joining us at the Oky Hackathon - what made you decide to get involved?  

Nami: I love coding and had been looking for a hackathon, so when I saw this one, I signed up straight away. I also wanted to improve my UI design skills and meet new people. 

I’m also interested in the science and health aspect of Oky. I use another menstruation app, but Oky is different because it’s practical and colourful - I’m definitely going to use Oky in the future. 

Mishel: In one of my college preparation classes, they recommended that I sign up for this hackathon. At first, I thought it would be a lot for me because I was initially embarrassed to talk about the topic of menstruation, as it’s taboo here in Mongolian culture. 

But then I realised there’s nothing to be embarrassed about because periods are normal. It was a challenge for me at first, but I wanted to face my fear and not be afraid of topics like this. 

How did you feel on the first day when you arrived at the Hackathon? And what have you enjoyed so far? 

Nami: I felt nervous at first, but I found friends here! We’re now improving our designs, so I’m feeling a bit anxious about that but we’re discussing everything from strategy to design. The most important part has been having discussions with my team and seeing how receptive we all are to sharing what we know. Making new friends has been fun, and I’ve learnt so much from these girls.  

Mishel: Everyone was so friendly and open to talking about any topic; I felt very welcome, considering I was the only one from my school here. When we started, they taught us the basics of coding, design, and marketing, and it was nice having people share their knowledge. 

Why do you think it's important for girls to help design apps or technology made for girls? 

Nami: In areas like coding, computer science or technology, it feels like most of them are dominated by males. We need more women and girls in that field.  

In my experience, boys choose courses like physics, information and communications technology (ICT), or computer science. And for the girls, they choose design, art or music. By having hackathons and programs that include technology for girls, we’ll hopefully see the numbers in our field increase.  

Mishel: For me, marketing this application is not just about getting people to install it; it's about making people care about themselves, their health, and becoming knowledgeable about these topics. Personally, I didn't know much about menstruation because even in my own family, it wasn’t a topic we talked about or were open about.  

It's important to design this for girls because many lack information about menstruation or are too embarrassed to talk about it when it’s such a natural thing. 

What features do you think are most important in an app that teaches girls about menstruation periods? 

Nami: Calendars, tracking systems and articles are also so helpful for us – tips on how to manage your period and how to use menstrual products. Those things are important in an app, and it’s great to see that the Oky app includes all of these. 

Mishel: The education aspect is one of the most important parts of the app, and the calendar is useful because you don't want to be surprised by your next period. For me, the culture of taking care of ourselves and our bodies is so crucial because I want future generations to be more open about menstruation and feel they have the right knowledge and education. 

And when designing something about periods, why is it important to listen to the girls themselves first? 

Nami: It's a really, really obvious answer because who's going to use the app...girls! So, we need girls’ perspectives and thoughts because they’re the ones facing the challenges and asking the questions.  

Mishel: We need to listen to girls and understand how they feel to help them gain more knowledge. Personally, I don't feel l that I have enough information about periods, so I want to learn as much as I can. 

What have you learnt from this Hackathon? 

Nami: A lot, both personally and skill wise! I’ve heard stories of girls who have faced many hardships and problems, but I’ve also heard how they’ve overcome these challenges and what they do to solve them. I learnt new technical skills on Figma and coding applications too – I thought I knew everything about them, but relatively, I was still a beginner! 

I’ve also gained valuable insights from mentors, friends, team members, and UNICEF staff. After the hackathon, I'm hoping to publish my own app. 

Mishel: It’s challenged my skills, taught me new things and helped me relearn some key points of marketing too! It’s been a breath of fresh air and opened my eyes on how to communicate with people, and to hear what they have to say from all our different backgrounds. 

How has this experience changed how you think about your future in digital technology? 

Nami: This experience has meant so much to me because I’ve learnt so many things, such as fundamental coding, made so many friends and enjoyed being here. I’m going to continue spreading this knowledge to help and teach other girls, especially in areas like AI.  

Whatever your field, join a hackathon! Whether it’s biology, chemistry, or physics, you’re going to gain so much knowledge and, of course, learn about technology. There’s so much that happens at a hackathon.  

Mishel: I’m interested in International Relations and marketing, but this has opened my eyes, especially in computer science. I will definitely use the skills I have gained here in the future.  

I want more girls to know about Oky, it’s such an important tool that can help them better understand their health. 

Every girl deserves confidence in her health and her future 

All around the world, UNICEF is supporting girls to turn their passions into strengths, preparing them to shape their own futures. At the Hackathon in Mongolia, girls participating generated more than 30 new ideas and features for Oky, with 98 per cent of Oky Hackathon participants reporting learning new skills, 96 per cent said they felt more confident contributing to digital technology, and 93 per cent said they want to continue learning in digital and STEM.  

By bringing girls together through hands-on experiences like hackathons and initiatives like Oky, UNICEF is also helping them to see themselves not just as users of technology, but as creators shaping the tools and solutions that impact their own lives.

These programs are only possible thanks to our everyday supporters, partners and Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).