Pride No Shame - Affordable sanitary pads

The first months of 2026 have been a period of transition and reflection for the Pride No Shame project. The focus has been clear: to reassess the current market landscape, strengthen strategic partnerships, and prepare for a more sustainable and scalable production model—while continuing to create employment opportunities for refugee women and keeping them at the heart of the project. Our objective is not to replace them, but to increase production while preserving and strengthening their roles.

Understanding the Market

During this quarter, we carried out in-depth research on sanitary products in Rwanda. This helped us better understand not only the demand, but also the real challenges people face.

What we found confirmed the relevance of the project:

• There is a strong need for affordable, locally made sanitary products
• Women prioritize comfort, quality, and price when choosing products
• Awareness around adult incontinence remains very low
• Access and education are just as important as the product itself

These insights make it clear that production must go hand in hand with access and education to be truly effective.

Building a Long-Term Partnership

Over the past few months, a key milestone has been the strengthening of our collaboration with the Rucci Legacy Foundation.

Together, we are working toward a shared vision: building a sustainable production model in Rwanda that can grow over time and create lasting impact.

This partnership will support:

• The transition from manual to automated production
• Exploration of locally sourced raw materials
• The development of infrastructure, including land and space for a future factory

This is a major step forward. It allows the project to move from a small-scale initiative to something with real potential for long-term sustainability.

Organizational Restructuring

To prepare for this new phase, the organization made the decision to restructure its team.

Existing contracts were paused to allow recruitment of highly skilled talent aligned with future technical and operational needs. This process was handled carefully, in line with Rwandan labor regulations, and included appropriate compensation for the employees involved. As the project evolves, this transition is necessary to support a structure better suited for scaling.

Continuing Support – Messi

Even as the project evolves, our commitment to Messi, the son of one of our employees living with a severe spinal condition, remains unchanged, with continued support through medical care, nutrition, and social assistance.

We are encouraged to see steady progress:

• Improvements in physical health
• Better cognitive response and recognition
• Increased mobility and early communication

These changes, although gradual, are meaningful. They reflect the impact that consistent care and attention can have over time.

Next Steps and Strategic Priorities

1. Giving a Second Life to Existing Equipment

Plans are underway to transfer the current production machine to the Ministry of Education through IPRC.

The goal is simple: instead of letting this equipment sit idle, it will be used to train students and support technical education. This contributes to building local skills and strengthens Rwanda’s manufacturing capacity.

2. Expanding into Education and Awareness

In parallel, the project will begin developing activities focused on menstrual health education.

This will include:

• Using locally available sanitary pad materials as learning tools by providing products to some vulnerable people
• Promoting awareness and education around menstruation
• Building early community engagement aligned with the core project

This step is essential. Access to products alone is not enough—education and understanding are just as important.

3. Strengthening Support and Funding

The next phase of the project will require stronger engagement with partners and investors.

Efforts will focus on:

• Identifying new funding opportunities
• Deepening relationships with existing technical and strategic partners
• Using existing project plans and budgets to support fundraising

At this stage, the priority is to secure the resources needed to move from planning to full implementation.

Conclusion

This period has not been about visible expansion, but about building the conditions for sustainable growth.

Meaningful progress has been made:

• A clearer understanding of the current market
• A strong strategic partnership
• Internal restructuring aligned with future needs
• Continued humanitarian support for those concerned

These efforts position Friends of Humanity and Pride No Shame to move confidently into the next phase of implementation, with a clear strategic direction and a solid basis for sustainable growth and long-term impact.

Links:

• Friends of Humanity Home Page
• To Learn More About This Project