The Gates Foundation is backing a new condom idea to encourage women to carry them and promote sexual health, Fast Company has reported.

The Mine condom was developed for women by a group of students at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. They are designed to make women feel more at ease buying condoms and keeping them openly.

When the project was started, students surveyed 207 people (70 percent women) to understand their feelings about condoms. Three-quarters (77 percent) said they felt embarrassed buying condoms, while 60 percent said they believed women who carried condoms were promiscuous.

The students decided to create packaging that is less male-oriented. They also designed refillable bedside holders, and a tube that houses condoms and tampons together.

The students are trying to get support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make Mine a commercial reality.

By Lee Shin-young, Intern reporter
sylee@heraldcorp.com