ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Zubaida Bai - Women's health advocate
Zubaida Bai innovates health and livelihood solutions for underserved women and girls around the world.

Why you should listen

Building on her expertise as a mechanical engineer, a social worker and her public speaking skills, Zubaida Bai put her unique passion to work. In the process, she built a brand and a product line, and she set in motion a movement that addresses market failures, breaks taboos and gives voice to the oft-ignored matter that is women’s health.

Bai is the founder and CEO of ayzh (pronounced "eyes"), a social enterprise based in India that designs vital healthcare products to improve the health and happiness of women and girls across their reproductive lives. Bai launched her company with janma, a $3 clean birth kit in a purse, but her story goes further back to when she stood by her mother to face head-on the challenge of survival facing her family when she had just entered her teens.

janma was conceived after traveling to one of the poorest communities in India and confronting the reality that more than one million mothers and babies lose their lives in the developing world each year due to uncleanliness at the time of childbirth. Packaged in a pink biodegradable jute bag, a design that mothers can reuse as a purse, the kit provides both cleanliness and dignity. Since beginning sales in 2012, Bai's company has sold more than 250,000 kits to more than 300 health institutions in 20 countries, touching the lives of more than 500,000 women and newborns. Bai is now expanding her product line to include kits for newborn, postpartum and menstrual health, while scaling her proven model across India and into Africa.

Bai was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a Maternal Health Champion by Ashoka, a TED speaker (Fellow and Resident) and the United Nations SDG Pioneer by the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). ayzh's strategic partners from around the world who have written about Zubaida's work: TOMS shared her safe birth story; USAID blogged about how she's empowering women through a simple purse; and Grand Challenges Canada recognizes her lead role in scaling life-changing kits for mothers and newborns.

Bai believes that building a sustainable company takes a great team, stamina and a sturdy suitcase. She is fluent in eight languages and travels the world forging new partnerships and advocating for women's health. She has spoken at events for Women in the World, Pfizer Foundation and Women Deliver. She holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering specializing in development of modular products, and an MBA in social and sustainable enterprises.

More profile about the speaker
Zubaida Bai | Speaker | TED.com
TED Residency

Zubaida Bai: A simple birth kit for mothers in the developing world

Zubaida Bai: Un básico bolso natalicio para as nais do Terceiro Mundo

Filmed:
975,456 views

Zubaida Bai, membro da comunidade TED, traballa con profesionais médicos, matronas e nais para posibilitar intervencións dignas e baratas na asistencia médica a mulleres. Nesta breve e impresionante conferencia, amosa o seu simple bolso natalicio, que contén todo o que unha muller precisa para dar a luz dun xeito hixiénico e san, sen que importe en que lugar do mundo se atope (ou como de lonxe se estea dun centro médico).
- Women's health advocate
Zubaida Bai innovates health and livelihood solutions for underserved women and girls around the world. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

Nos próximos seis minutos
nos que me escoitarán falar,
00:12
In the next six minutes
that you will listen to me,
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o mundo perderá tres nais
00:16
the world will have lost three mothers
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que morrerán no parto:
00:19
while delivering their babies:
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unha, por unha complicación grave;
00:22
one, because of a severe complication;
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outra, porque será unha adolescente
e o seu corpo non estará preparado
00:26
second, because she will be a teenager
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00:29
and her body will not
be prepared for birth;
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para dar a luz;
pero a terceira simplemente morrerá
por non ter acceso a instrumental estéril
00:32
but the third, only because of lack
of access to basic clean tools
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no momento do parto.
00:38
at the time of childbirth.
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Non estará soa.
00:41
She will not be alone.
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Máis dun millón de nais e bebés
00:43
Over one million mothers and babies
die every single year
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morren cada ano
en países do terceiro mundo,
00:47
in the developing world,
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simplemente por non ter acceso a
unha hixiene básica
00:49
only because of lack of access
to basic cleanliness
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no momento de dar a luz.
00:53
while giving birth to their babies.
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A miña viaxe comezou
unha calurosa tarde de verán
00:56
My journey began on a hot summer afternoon
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en India, no 2008,
00:59
in India in 2008,
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cando despois de verme con mulleres
e de escoitar as súas necesidades,
01:01
when after a day of meeting women
and listening to their needs,
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fun dar a unha choza de palla,
onde estaba unha parteira.
01:05
I landed in a thatched hut with a midwife.
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Como nai, sentía curiosidade
sobre como asistiría alí os partos.
01:09
As a mother, I was very curious
on how she delivered babies in her house.
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Despois dunha interesante conversa
01:13
After a deep and engaging
conversation with her
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sobre o compoñente vocacional
como base do seu traballo,
01:16
on how she considered it a profound
calling to do what she was doing,
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pregunteille ao despedírmonos:
01:20
I asked her a parting question:
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"Tes o material necesario
para asistir os partos?"
01:23
Do you have the tools that you need
to deliver the babies?
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Cheguei a ver o que utilizaba.
01:27
I got to see her tool.
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"Isto é o que uso para separar
a nai e o bebé", dixo.
01:30
"This is what I use to separate
the mother and the baby," she said.
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Sen saber moi ben como reaccionar,
collín esta ferramenta agrícola en shock.
01:35
Unsure of how to react, I held this
agricultural tool in my hand in shock.
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Saqueille unha foto, abraceina e marchei.
01:41
I took a picture of this,
hugged her and walked away.
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A miña cabeza inundouse
de imaxes da infección
01:45
My mind was flooded with reflections
of my own infection
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pola que eu mesma pasara
tralo parto e durante un ano despois
01:48
that I had to struggle with
for a year past childbirth
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a pesares de ter acceso
aos mellores coidados médicos.
01:51
despite having access
to the best medical care,
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Tamén recordei unha conversa
que tivera con meu pai,
01:55
and memories of my conversation
with my father,
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quen perdera a súa nai ao nacer,
01:57
who had lost his mom to childbirth,
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sobre o diferente que sería a súa vida
01:59
on how he thought his life
would be so different
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se ela estivese ao seu lado.
02:02
if she would have been
just next to him growing up.
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Como creadora de novos produtos,
iniciei o proceso de investigación.
02:05
As a product developer,
I started my process of research.
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Alegreime de atopar a noticia
de que había un produto
02:09
I was very excited to find
that there was a product out there
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chamado "Kit de Nacemento Limpo".
02:12
called the Clean Birth Kit.
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Pero non conseguín mercalo en meses.
02:14
But I just couldn't buy one for months.
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Só se fabricaban se había
fondos dispoñibles.
02:18
They were only assembled
based on availability of funding.
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Ao final, cando o conseguín,
quedei estupefacta de novo.
02:22
Finally, when I got my hands on one,
I was in shock again.
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Pensei que xamais utilizaría
eses utensilios ao dar a luz
02:26
I would never use these tools
to deliver my baby, I thought.
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Pero para corroborar o que pensaba,
acudín de novo ás mulleres,
02:30
But to confirm my instincts,
I went back to the women,
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algunhas das cales
utilizaran este produto.
02:33
some of whom had the experience
of using this product.
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De feito, todas pensaban o mesmo.
02:37
Lo and behold, they had
the same reaction and more.
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Dixeron que preferirían dar a luz no chan
02:41
The women said they would rather
deliver on a floor
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que nunha saba de plástico
que enchoupa todo de sangue.
02:43
than on a plastic sheet
that smeared blood all over.
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Tiñan toda a razón
--empeoraría a infección.
02:46
They were absolutely right --
it would cause more infection.
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O fío que daban era unha autopista
para infeccións bacterianas
02:49
The thread provided was a highway
to bacterial infection
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a través do cordón umbilical.
02:52
through the baby's umbilical cord,
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A coitela era como a que
os homes usan para afeitarse,
02:54
and the blade used was the kind
that men used for shaving,
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e elas non a querían ver nin de lonxe.
02:57
and they did not want it
anywhere close to them.
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Non había un só incentivo
para que alguén redeseñase o produto,
03:00
There was no incentive for anybody
to redesign this product,
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porque se baseaba na caridade.
03:03
because it was based on charity.
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En ningún momento
lles consultaron nada ás mulleres.
03:05
The women were never
consulted in this process.
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E, para a miña sorpresa,
este kit non só se usaba en casas,
03:08
And to my surprise, the need
was not only in homes
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03:11
but also in institutional settings
with high-volume births.
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senón tamén en institucións
cun gran número de partos.
03:14
Situations in remote areas
were even more daunting.
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A situación en zonas remotas
era incluso máis aterradora.
Isto tiña que cambiar.
03:18
This had to change.
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Establecín isto como
o centro da miña investigación.
03:20
I made this my area of focus.
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03:22
I started the design process
by collecting feedback,
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Comecei o proceso de deseño
recollendo opinións,
desenvolvendo prototipos
03:26
developing prototypes
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e establecendo contacto con accionistas
que buscaban protocolos globais.
03:28
and engaging with various stakeholders
researching global protocols.
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Con cada un dos prototipos,
preguntábaselles ás mulleres a súa opinión
03:32
With every single prototype,
we went back to the women
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03:34
to ensure that we had a product for them.
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para asegurarnos de que
tiñamos un producto apto para elas.
Durante todo o proceso,
aprendín que estas mulleres,
03:38
What I learned through this process
was that these women,
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a pesar da súa extrema pobreza,
03:40
despite their extreme poverty,
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daban unha gran importancia
á súa saúde e ao seu benestar.
03:42
placed great value
on their health and well-being.
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03:44
They were absolutely not poor in mind.
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Non eran en absoluto
pobres en coñecemento.
Como a todos nós,
elas saben apreciar un bo produto
03:47
As with all of us, they would appreciate
a well-designed product
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creado para as súas necesidades.
03:50
developed for their needs.
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Despois de varios ciclos de traballo
con expertos,
03:52
After many iterations
working with experts,
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con profesionais médicos da saúde
03:54
medical health professionals
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e coas mesmas mulleres,
03:56
and the women themselves,
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direi que non foi un proceso
para nada sinxelo,
03:58
I should say it was not
an easy process at all,
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pero tiñamos un deseño bonito e simple.
04:01
but we had a simple and beautiful design.
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Por un dólar máis
ca o produto que se ofertaba,
04:05
For a dollar more than what
the existing product was offered for,
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por só tres dólares,
fomos capaces de distribuír o "janma",
04:10
at three dollars, we were able
to deliver "janma,"
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un kit de nacemento limpo nunha carteira.
04:13
a clean birth kit in a purse.
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Janma, que significa "nacemento",
contiña unha saba absorbente
04:16
Janma, meaning "birth," contained
a blood-absorbing sheet
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04:18
for the woman to give birth on,
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para que as mulleres
desen a luz sobre ela,
04:20
a surgical scalpel, a cord clamp,
a bar of soap, a pair of gloves
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un bisturí cirúrxico, unha pinza,
unha pastilla de xabón, un par de luvas
e un pano para limpar o recén nacido.
04:24
and the first cloth
to wipe the baby clean.
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Todo isto viña nunha bonita carteira
04:27
All this came packaged
in a beautiful purse
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que se lle daba á nai como regalo
despois do traballo que pasou,
04:29
that was given to the mother
as a gift after all her hard work,
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e que levaba a casa con orgullo
e como símbolo de prosperidade.
04:32
that she carried home with pride
as a symbol of prosperity.
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Unha das mulleres
reaccionou a este agasallo.
04:37
One woman reacted to this gift.
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Dixo: "En serio é meu?"
"Podo quedarme con el?"
04:40
She said, "Is this really mine?
Can I keep it?"
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(Risas)
Outra dixo: "Daranme unha cor distinta
cando teña o meu próximo fillo?"
04:44
The other one said,
"Will you give me a different color
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04:46
when I have my next baby?"
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(Risas)
04:48
(Laughter)
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Aínda mellor...unha muller dixo
04:50
Better yet, a woman expressed
that this was the first purse
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que era a primeira carteira
que tiña en toda a súa vida.
04:52
that she had ever owned in her life.
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O bolso, aparte do seu simbolismo
e da súa simplicidade,
04:55
The kit, aside from its symbolism
and its simplicity,
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está deseñado para cumprir
cos protocolos médicos globais
04:57
is designed to follow
globally recommended medical protocol
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e servir como ferramenta
para cambiar os procedementos
05:01
and serves as a behavior-change tool
to follow steps one after the other.
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e así evolucionar pasiño a pasiño.
Non só está pensado para usarse nas casas,
senón que tamén en institucións.
05:06
It can not only be used in homes,
but also in institutional settings.
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Ata agora, este bolso axudou
a unhas 600.000 nais e aos seus bebés
05:10
To date, our kit has impacted
over 600,000 mothers and babies
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por todo o mundo.
05:14
around the world.
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É unha lección de humildade
o ver estas cifras medrar,
05:16
It's a humbling experience
to watch these numbers grow,
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e estou desexando ver como
se alcanzan os cen millóns.
05:19
and I cannot wait until
we reach a hundred million.
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Pero os problemas de saúde das mulleres
non rematan aquí.
05:24
But women's health issues do not end here.
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Hai miles de asuntos que requiren
intervencións de baixo custo.
05:27
There are thousands of simple issues
that require low-cost interventions.
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Temos datos que proban
que se se inviste en mulleres e nenas
05:31
We have facts to prove
that if we invest in women and girls
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e se lles facilita
unha mellor saúde e benestar,
05:34
and provide them with better
health and well-being,
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parirán unha sociedade máis sá,
rica e próspera.
05:37
they will deliver healthier and wealthier
and prosperous communities.
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Temos que comezar por
aportar simplicidade e dignidade
05:42
We have to start by bringing simplicity
and dignity to women's health issues:
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aos problemas de saúde das mulleres:
05:46
from reducing maternal mortality,
to breaking taboos,
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dende reducir a mortalidade materna
a romper tabús,
darlles forza ás mulleres para que
tomen o control das súas vidas.
05:49
to empowering women
to take control of their own lives.
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Este é o meu soño.
05:52
This is my dream.
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Pero non é posible conseguilo
sen involucrar tanto homes como mulleres
05:55
But it is not possible to achieve it
without engaging men and women alike
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de todo o mundo
05:59
from around the world --
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--si, todos vostedes.
06:01
yes, all of you.
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Hai pouco que escoitei a letra
dunha canción de Leonard Cohen:
06:04
I recently heard this lyric
by Leonard Cohen:
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"Toca as campás que aínda poden tocar.
06:08
"Ring the bells that still can ring.
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Esquece a túa ofrenda perfecta.
06:12
Forget your perfect offering.
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En todo hai unha fenda.
06:15
There is a crack in everything.
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Así é como entra a luz."
06:18
That's how the light gets in."
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Este é o meu raio de luz.
06:21
This is my bit of light.
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Pero precisamos máis luz.
06:23
But we need more light.
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De feito, precisamos focos enormes
que iluminen a saúde das mulleres
06:25
In fact, we need huge spotlights
placed in the world of women's health
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06:28
if we need a better tomorrow.
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se queremos un futuro mellor.
Nunca deberiamos esquecernos que
as mulleres son o centro
06:30
We should never forget that women
are at the center of a sustainable world,
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dun mundo sustentable
e que non existiriamos sen elas.
06:35
and we do not exist without them.
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Grazas.
06:38
Thank you.
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(Aplausos)
06:39
(Applause)
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Translated by Belén García Penerbosa
Reviewed by Mario Cal

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Zubaida Bai - Women's health advocate
Zubaida Bai innovates health and livelihood solutions for underserved women and girls around the world.

Why you should listen

Building on her expertise as a mechanical engineer, a social worker and her public speaking skills, Zubaida Bai put her unique passion to work. In the process, she built a brand and a product line, and she set in motion a movement that addresses market failures, breaks taboos and gives voice to the oft-ignored matter that is women’s health.

Bai is the founder and CEO of ayzh (pronounced "eyes"), a social enterprise based in India that designs vital healthcare products to improve the health and happiness of women and girls across their reproductive lives. Bai launched her company with janma, a $3 clean birth kit in a purse, but her story goes further back to when she stood by her mother to face head-on the challenge of survival facing her family when she had just entered her teens.

janma was conceived after traveling to one of the poorest communities in India and confronting the reality that more than one million mothers and babies lose their lives in the developing world each year due to uncleanliness at the time of childbirth. Packaged in a pink biodegradable jute bag, a design that mothers can reuse as a purse, the kit provides both cleanliness and dignity. Since beginning sales in 2012, Bai's company has sold more than 250,000 kits to more than 300 health institutions in 20 countries, touching the lives of more than 500,000 women and newborns. Bai is now expanding her product line to include kits for newborn, postpartum and menstrual health, while scaling her proven model across India and into Africa.

Bai was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a Maternal Health Champion by Ashoka, a TED speaker (Fellow and Resident) and the United Nations SDG Pioneer by the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). ayzh's strategic partners from around the world who have written about Zubaida's work: TOMS shared her safe birth story; USAID blogged about how she's empowering women through a simple purse; and Grand Challenges Canada recognizes her lead role in scaling life-changing kits for mothers and newborns.

Bai believes that building a sustainable company takes a great team, stamina and a sturdy suitcase. She is fluent in eight languages and travels the world forging new partnerships and advocating for women's health. She has spoken at events for Women in the World, Pfizer Foundation and Women Deliver. She holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering specializing in development of modular products, and an MBA in social and sustainable enterprises.

More profile about the speaker
Zubaida Bai | Speaker | TED.com