A team of young innovators led by Noel Aryanyijuka, have crafted an eco-friendly sanitary towel to address the menstrual health challenges in Uganda called EcoSmart pads.
The EcoSmart Pad innovation, which has so far proven to be environmentally friendly and inspirational to girls and women, is made from sugarcane residue. It substitutes the cotton in the usual commercial sanitary towels.
UNFPA enrolled several start-ups in their Up Accelerate program in 2017, which the EcoSmart Pads was part of. They received mentorship and got tipped on business management.
EcoSmart Pads innovation won a seed funding of $10,000, which the team used to refine their prototype with assistance from the Uganda Industrial Research Institute.
It carried out a needs finding the survey in Nakivale Refugee Camp, Mubende District. The innovators have since improved their prototype to a viable product.
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According to a UNFPA report, many women and young girls have limited access to health products to manage their menstrual needs.
A Netherlands Development Organization study report indicates absenteeism of about 50% of primary school girls per month due to menstruation problems.
EcoSmart pads wins $20,000 grant to expand their innovation
EcoSmart Pad has partnered with Kao Corporation, an organization which empowers youths in Uganda; a partnership which has birthed a grant of $20,000, and has helped the innovators expand and further refine the production of their EcoSmart pads with a more absorbent characteristic for comfort. The grant came with free technical support from UNFPA to assist the team in managing their grant.
The boost from these partnerships has helped Aryanyijuka direct more effort towards healthcare innovation and to fulfill her passion for empowering women.
EcoSmart Pad has an intention of reaching 1,000 girls within their maiden year of production, covering the entire Mbarara district with affordable sanitary towels of Shs. 1000 per pack of 6 pads, and Shs. 2000 per pack of 12 pads.
The cost of EcoSmart pads is about a third of the commercial pads’ cost.
Conclusion
The EcoSmart pad innovation is meant to help many Ugandan girls who cannot afford the cost of commercial pads. The added advantage is that it is Eco-friendly.
Source: UNFPA Uganda