This project will produce environmentally friendly and chemical free reusable menstrual sanitary pads using textile off-cuts for girls and women in Nigeria to manage their menstruation in privacy, safety, with respect and dignity. The project will create jobs for internally displaced and vulnerable women and girls to improve family livelihoods, and will also promote menstruation education and school aged girls enrollment and performance without fear of menstruation .
About 52% Nigeria female population is of reproductive age & menstruating. Menstruation is a taboo subject in Nigeria. There are over 10 million rural & internally displaced girls & women negatively affected by the lack of access to affordable and available hygienic menstrual materials. Instead uses various materials such as cotton, wool, toilet papers, pieces of mattresses & in some rural setting leaves & feathers. As a consequence menstruating girls avoid school & are at risk of infection.
This project will provide environmentally friendly and chemical free reusable menstrual sanitary pads for internally displaced and rural girls and women. This reusable menstrual pad will last up to 400+wash (3 years) with breathable leak proof protector, stain resistance, quick dry design and microfiber absorb 7x more than cotton which can be worn as a functional pair of period underwear with an adjustable waist or cut and use as a pattern to customize many additional pairs of underwear.
It is planned that the project will provides over 500 thousand reusable sanitary pads for internally displaced and rural school girls and women monthly, engage over 100 women and girls allowing them to improve their family livelihood, increase comfort, fresh and clean feeling, reduce textile and disposable pad waste in turn reducing climate change, reduce extended wear hours and saving over 75% cost of disposable pad, increase use of healthy materials menstrual hygiene management
