In a village in Zimbabwe, a group of people is creating washable pads for girls. This helps girls go to school even when they have their period and don’t have to miss it.
The Chiedza Community Welfare Trust in Zimbabwe’s Mutasa District began making cloth sanitary pads after their founder, Gladys Mukaratirwa, noticed that girls in the area were not able to go to school each month because they didn’t have money to buy disposable hygiene items.
Mukaratirwa noticed that students were missing about 45 days of school each year due to a lack of sanitary pads. To address this, she and her team created reusable pads using lightweight cloth and flannel. After use, these pads are washed and dried in the sun, which helps sanitize them. Mukaratirwa, a former teacher, is passionate about teaching young women skills to support their families. The group of female volunteers sells these affordable pads to locals and charities in Zimbabwe. A pack of five pads costs just $4 and can be used for a year and a half. The factory produces around 600 pads daily.