Gender Equality Rwanda Project #48333

Pride No Shame - Affordable sanitary pads

by Friends of Humanity

Project Report | May 13, 2022
Uzima Sanitary Pads Production Unity - Kigali

By Guido Durrer | Project Manager Uzima - FOH Geneva

In a nutshell
The Uzima project, intends to bring affordable sanitary pads to women and girls living in and outside of refugee camps, in Rwanda. This project will be 100% sustainable and women led.

Beneficiaries and target groups

The primary beneficiaries are the women living in the refugee camps. Other beneficiaries include women outside the camp, who will have access to sanitary pads at affordable prices,

The target groups include:

approx 5000 women and adolescents trained in the use and disposal of the sanitary pads.
10 to 20 women who will be trained to work in the manufacturing facility.
10 to 20 women trained to market the sanitary pads outside the camp.
40 women trained to explain preventive measures and create awareness to use sanitary pads regularly in influencing others positively inside the camp and into neighbouring villages.

The project aims to be self-sufficient from first half of 2023;

Planned Activities: what has been done

Set up of a production facility in Kigali, Rwanda.
The best machinery and raw material from India were imported from there and are in the production place in Kigali in producing test samples for the market. Distribution started.
The sanitary pads as a product, produced in Kigali, were accepted by the RSB (Rwanda Strategic board)
The government supported the tax exemption for importing machine(s) and raw material from India.
The production place was visited mid of April by the RSB. Green light to use the production line with some minor corrections was given. (e.g., Production Manual is needed that includes detailed security measures).
Uzima should get the written production and sales certification latest mid of May 2022

Planned Activities: in process to be done

Research on sourcing of raw organic material is in process. Raw material needed (in rolls) is not available in Rwanda. There are contacts in Eastern Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia to get the necessary high quality raw organic material.
Goal is to find sanitary pads production machines within Eastern Africa, to avoid expensive transportation.
Ensure regular and sustainable production:

a) Set up organisation and factory management, with help of local partners and community leaders

b) Train 10 to 20 women of the camp in the use and maintenance.

c) Monitoring production, ensuring that quarterly increased production target is reached within 1 year.

Ensure sanitary pads are used and correctly disposed of:

a) Train a group of women (“influencers”) in the camp.

b) Raise awareness on use and disposal

Production, Administration, Sales

a) Ensure formal contracting with employees needed related to the leadership of local Director (John)

b) Informal sales training: Train women 10 to 20 women to sell pads outside the camps to allow an extra income that will be used to open another production unity in Rwanda.

Links:

Uzima Sanitary Pads Project

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Dec 30, 2021
UZIMA, worksite in warehouse and good news

By Alain Deruaz | Project assistant

Oct 29, 2021
UZIMA, installation of the machines

By Alain Deruaz | Project assistant

Installation of machines

News of the project UZIMA !

We are so happy to inform you that the sanitary pads production unity is finally ready and this project can start to bear fruit very soon.

What is UZIMA ?

UZIMA means LIFE in Swahili and is the name chosen by women of Mahama's refugee camp for the sanitary pads. The project has been conceived in 2019 by women, with women for women refugees. The aim of this project is to give women refugees in any camp where the water is scarce, access to affordable and compostable sanitary pads of good quality. To summarize, the four main advantages of this project are:

Health improvement. When women and adolescent refugees have their period, they use a piece of cloth often unclean for lack of water, which may cause vaginal infections, embarrassing strains in public and stigmatizing situations. This situation leads as well to absenteeism from work and school. By providing them quality, affordable sanitary pads, these issues are minimized.
Creation of jobs and new competences. This unit needs a truly trained team to function properly. Women refugees are selected to be trained and run this unit. Others will explain the good reasons to use Uzima pads especially, to young women. Others will distribute Uzima pads in the camp and outside and others once trained will train other women and so on.
Replication of the project. The surplus of this production will be resold on the market. The final aim, once the team economic needs are fulfilled is to build other production units elsewhere, creating a solidarity network.
Ecologically sustainable. The sanitary pads Uzima are organic, compostable and will be used in permaculture gardens to complete the circle.

The reasons for the delay:

Since the last report, a lot has happened within the UZIMA project. Due to the pandemic situation, the machines and raw material took longer time to arrive from India by sea. When they finally came ashore, the lockdown situation in Rwanda that lasted for months extended this delay. All the material was stocked in a warehouse for several months, waiting for tax exempt while the workers remain confined. Finally a few weeks ago, we were able to move the equipment to Kigali, hire the first team who has assembled the machines and produce the first samples of Uzima pads. It was a very joyful moment when Falida got the very first Uzima...

What are we doing today ?

Our on-site team is currently testing these sanitary napkins, few samples were sent to the Rwandan Standards Board to be examined and verified as to meet the local official norms. Once we receive RSB's approval, the production will be launched to reach full capacity in a few months.
We are in the process of recruiting staff to manage this unit. On the first picture you can see our stock officer Falida Niyigena, as well the technicians assembling the machines.
We are currently working on a website dedicated entirely to the project. By the end of November the website will be done. You can admire a preview of the Uzima homepage on the last photo.

In November you will receive a new report with fresh news about the production, the team and the updated budget...

Your support and donations are greatly appreciated !

The first sanitary pads produced by the unit

The sanitary pads in their packaging

The preview of the website

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