Pioneering platform Taahirah is empowering Muslim women to manage their reproductive health
Taahirah is an innovative digital health solution designed to meet the reproductive and overall health needs of Muslim women, combining faith and holistic health guidance.
In this case study, Founder and CEO Farzana Salik reflects on the importance of providing tailored health information and how Taahirah has developed through the Accelerating FemTech programme to offer a safe space for Muslim women to access culturally sensitive information and resources on reproductive health.
Bridging the gap between health education and faith
Muslim women often lack access to reliable, comprehensive health education that aligns with both medical science and personal values. Cultural taboos can prevent open discussions about sexual and reproductive health, leaving many without the knowledge or support they need.
Furthermore, cultural competence, language barriers and implicit biases in healthcare can further limit access to personalised, faith-conscious care. As a result, 85% of Muslim women feel mainstream health solutions fail to meet their unique needs, highlighting a significant gap in innovation.
Personalised menstrual cycle tracking with symptom management tools, and spiritual planning support for fasting and prayer.
An expert-backed library of courses, self-help toolkits, and educational guides.
Community-driven research and advocacy to bring Muslim women’s health into global healthcare conversations.
Built by Muslim women, Taahirah warmly embraces every Muslim woman, no matter where she is on her journey.
By addressing these critical needs, Taahirah directly supports key healthcare priorities, including prevention, digital access, and workforce development. It aligns with the NHS Long Term Plan, the Women’s Health Strategy, and the Core20Plus5 initiative, ensuring that healthcare is inclusive, accessible, and culturally competent.
Personal experience, collective need faith
My journey with women’s health began in my early teens. I struggled with severe menstrual symptoms —mood swings, intense cramps, headaches and relentless fatigue. With minimal education on the topic, it was simply brushed off as “just Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).”
Over time, my health began to affect my wellbeing, school life and relationships. In hindsight, I suspect I have always had Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). But without the appropriate care, navigating further stages in my life, like family planning with a chronic illness, became even more challenging.
This personal struggle revealed two major challenges: the lack of accessible, faith-conscious health education and the absence of a unified, culturally sensitive platform for Muslim women. Instead, we are left to piece together scattered resources - often irrelevant or faith-conflicting.
"[At first] I thought Taahirah was just an app… finally this is being taken seriously! I’m excited about what’s coming next. It's becoming the go-to base for Muslim women - a trusted resource with reliable health and faith-related guidance that I can count on!"
- Survey Respondent
Inspired by my experiences and the stories of other Muslim women, I founded Taahirah, a movement that champions Muslim women’s health education.
Building Taahirah has not been without challenges. Tackling stigma around women’s health in our communities has been difficult. Securing funding has also been a major hurdle, as our work doesn’t fit neatly into existing funding categories.
Today, Taahirah remains bootstrapped, reflecting a wider reality: only 2% of venture funding goes to female founders, a number that has remained stagnant for over a decade.
Despite the pressures to scale quickly, I believe in building with patience and intention. Balancing long nights with a full-time job and family is tough, but by prioritising thoughtful growth and listening to our community, we’re creating a platform that is truly impactful and sustainable.
"I've spent countless hours googling my symptoms, but most results don't fit my lifestyle. So many resources assume things that don’t apply to me, like drinking or smoking. There’s little advice on managing heavy periods or choosing the right contraception for someone like me. I wish there were more holistic options - natural remedies, dietary changes, and supplements - rather than always feeling like medication is my only option."
- Survey Respondent
A pioneering approach
Over the past year, Taahirah has made significant strides in championing the Muslim women’s health movement. In 2024, we surveyed almost 700 women and published a first-of-its-kind report, sharing their lived stories.
Our work has been recognised globally. We showcased our prototype and infographics at Muslim Tech Fest 2024, reaching over 1,000 attendees, and secured 400 early adopters for our beta app. We were named Runner-Up at the Doha Spark Award and completed prestigious programmes like the Oxford University Innovation Incubator and Accelerating FemTech.
In 2025, we expanded our focus beyond menstrual health to women’s reproductive health, widening our support to more women. We partnered with educators, student societies and influencers to create accessible educational content and host workshops. Our community-driven impact includes delivering hygiene kits to Gaza with Forgotten Women and sponsoring Global Relief Trust’s Code Red period poverty campaign.
Figure 1: Image of the Taahirah displayed on a smartphone
This Ramadan, we launched a series of workshops focused on women's health and spirituality, creating safe spaces for discussion and education. We also introduced our Qur’an Tracker Tool, designed to help women set and achieve spiritual goals while considering their menstrual cycles. This uplifts users to navigate the holy month in a way that feels manageable and fulfilling.
Looking ahead, Taahirah is committed to closing knowledge gaps and addressing healthcare disparities. Our next steps include integrating AI, enhancing data analytics, and forging partnerships with healthcare providers for continuous development. By driving innovation and expanding access, we aim to ensure that minority communities are fully included in the future of healthcare.
Navigating the complex landscape of health with Accelerating FemTech
The Accelerating FemTech programme has been a game-changer for Taahirah. It provided us with invaluable mentorship, expert-led workshops, and access to a network of like-minded founders dedicated to advancing women's health. Through the programme, we refined our product offering and market strategy, ensuring Taahirah effectively meets the needs of an underserved population.
The support extended beyond business strategy. Guidance on regulatory pathways, funding applications, and pitching techniques gave us the confidence to navigate complex industry landscapes. Residentials and networking events also opened doors to key partnerships with healthcare practitioners, researchers, and institutions like the NHS, strengthening our vision for long-term impact.
I would highly recommend Accelerating FemTech to any digital health entrepreneur. It offers not just technical expertise, but a collaborative, forward-thinking community that accelerates innovation. This experience has helped us redefine our approach and take bold steps towards healthcare for Muslim women.
Next steps
There’s a huge opportunity to drive meaningful change in both digital and real-world healthcare. And we’d love for you to be part of it! Whether through investment, research, policy initiatives, or strategic collaborations, we’re looking for partners who share our vision. But even if that’s not within reach, you can still make a difference.
Follow us, share our work, and help us connect with those who need this the most. Every step forward brings us closer to a world where Muslim women’s health is seen, supported, and uplifted.
Taahirah is part of Accelerating FemTech. Cohort two of the programme runs from November 2024 to March 2025.
Accelerating FemTech is delivered by the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London, DigitalHealth.London and partners from across the UK. It utilises Innovate UK funding as part of the Biomedical Catalyst, in collaboration with the Medical Research Council.
