Nurse starts nonprofit to help women
Oct. 31—HIGH POINT — While growing up on a local family farm, Mikaela Ingram developed a habit of thinking outside the box for solutions.
This came into play while on a 2019 medical mission trip in Asia, where Ingram connected with other young women and discovered many were missing school and other activities because they didn't have menstrual products when needed each month. They also lacked support or understanding of their monthly hormonal imbalance, or PMS. While she was fortunate to have a menstrual cup as she worked as a traveling nurse, Ingram learned women in need often relied on old rags, clothing or leaves.
"From a nurse's perspective I found it really important to find a solution that was sustainable and nontoxic for women," Ingram said. "After finding out tampons and pads are extremely toxic to our bodies and hormone balance, we decided to manufacture menstrual cups and period underwear."
Now a registered nurse, Ingram has founded a new nonprofit, Divine Drops, to provide a low-cost solution for a normal monthly cycle women around the world find uncomfortable to discuss.
Ingram set things in motion for the nonprofit in 2020 while she was working in Arizona and became discouraged and sick with COVID-19.
"God opened my eyes to a bigger opportunity where I could be a nurse all over the world if that was what my heart desired," she said.
Ingram rallied an active board of directors composed of women medical officials, doctors, nurse practitioners, a registered nurse and physician assistant student she met through her travels.
"To create a healthy, powerful, loving environment for girls to grow into their bodies with confidence, creating women that don't live in shame or reject her body around menstruation — that would be our mission," Ingram said.
The group officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in July and later was recognized at a Business High Point-Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting event.
"We've had some excellent mentors in High Point," Ingram said. "My family supports me as well, but it's really been my passion project. I have stopped nursing full time to take this on."
Divine Drops also aims to reconnect women with their bodies through building a global community and offering holistic and sustainable products. The nonprofit donates products and also sells them. With each purchase, the nonproprofit can change the lives of up to six women.
"So many women all over the world and even in our neighborhood experience a great pain from this totally normal and natural cycle," Ingram said. "Divine Drops really is looking to change the cycle, which I think can root back to so many social issues. Women develop children in their bodies. Women raise the next generation. Our goal is to elevate 1 million women over the next decade."
cingram@hpenews.com — 336-888-3534 — @HPEcinde
