ETHIOPIA-SANITARY TOWELS MAKER Ethiopian entrepreneur works to keep girls in school with reusable pads

Record ID: 132113

  • Title: ETHIOPIA-SANITARY TOWELS MAKER Ethiopian entrepreneur works to keep girls in school with reusable pads
  • Date: 29th October 2015
  • Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) EMEBET TAMIRU, FOUNDER OF MARIYOD, SAYING "I remember that it was very hard for me to buy sanitary pads when I was in boarding school as a student. We were allowed to go out of school only once a month. Sometimes menstruation comes unexpected. So, we used tissues as pads. That was really uncomfortable and you spend the day at school with anxiety because you could get itching and discomfort. So it's always been on my mind." VARIOUS OF A WORKER SEWING SANITARY PAD VARIOUS OF AN WORKER PACKAGING FINISHED SANITARY PADS VARIOUS OF FINISHED SANITARY PADS MORE OF PADS AND FINISHED BABY DIAPERS VARIOUS OF TRADER SELLING REUSABLE BABY DIAPERS CUSTOMER SHOPPING FOR DIAPERS DIAPER (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) MILLION ASEFA, TRADER, SAYING: "The feedback I receive from users is usually good but some also saying the diapers don't dry quickly especially when it's not sunny. Otherwise many customers are happy with the diapers saying it has the same moisture retention capacity as the conventional diapers." VARIOUS OF ALMAZ ASRESIE, MOTHER CHANGING HER BABY'S DIAPER (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) ALMAZ ASRESIE, MOTHER, SAYING: "It is really nice. I have been using this dipper since I gave birth to my child for over a year. It is very sound economically because you can wash and reuse this over and over again instead of using the use and throw ones." EMEBET TAMIRU ARRIVING AT R&D GROUP OFFICE VARIOUS OF EMEBET AND DR. ABIY, BUSINESS ADVISOR, R&D GROUP, TALKING CLOSE UP OF R&D LOGO (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. SAMSON ABIY, BUSINESS ADVISOR, R&D GROUP, SAYING: "Her product has a huge potential not only in Ethiopia but in East Africa. Not only in East Africa, it will help those who are in need of it. Hopefully within one or two years time, I hope we will se her product in all over the world because if she got support and a little to product design I think her product has a huge potential." MORE OF TAMIRU SUPERVISING WORKERS WOMAN SEWING CLOTH PADS
  • Embargoed: 13th November 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ethiopia
  • Country: Ethiopia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABOQ49LQIFAP63UABSDK5FLHBZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Workers at the Maryod Company sew reusable sanitary pads at a workshop in downtown Addis Ababa. The pads are meant to make a difference in the lives of many girls who come from disadvantaged families in the country.
    It was a dream Emebet Tamiru always had after seeing many of her classmates skip school during menstruation because they found it too embarrassing to deal with and couldn't afford to buy disposable pads.
    After spending 20 years in Holland Tamiru returned home in 2013 and decided to establish the company, which produces and sells reusable sanitary pads and baby diapers -- all manufactured from locally made cotton fabric.
    "This is a sanitary pad made of cotton cloth which we usually know as a traditional scarf called Netela. Now we are turning it to sanitary pads. It is make helping girls stay in school because they can was it and use it every month for up to a year. Nationally, it has a major benefit for the country as it is helping retain foreign currency. This is also very good for the environment as the usual pads are thrown away after use," said Tamiru.
    In many African countries, menstruation is rarely talked about, yet remains an immense and stressful problem for teenage girls. The UN children's agency, UNICEF estimates that one in 10 African girls miss school during their periods because they can't afford to buy pads.
    Millions of absences lead to generations of girls in poor countries with fewer qualifications, limited access to job opportunities and less time spent building social networks, confidence and life skills, according to Plan International.
    "I remember that it was very hard for me to buy sanitary pads when I was in boarding school as a student. We were allowed to go out of school only once a month. Sometimes menstruation comes unexpected. So, we used tissues as pads. That was really uncomfortable and you spend the day at school with anxiety because you could get itching and discomfort. So it's always been on my mind," said Tamiru.
    It wasn't easy to set up the business, Tamiru says at first many shied away from the idea of reusable pads; however her product has slowly become popular.
    Her business has employed 28 workers who produce 500 sanitary pads a day.
    A number of non-governmental organizations have also started making orders in bulk and distribute the pads in schools.
    Maryod pads are now available in shops and supermarkets. A pad goes for 1.5 US dollars while diapers sell for 2.5 dollars.
    "The feedback I receive from users is usually good but some also saying the diapers don't dry quickly especially when it's not sunny. Otherwise many customers are happy with the diapers saying it has the same moisture retention capacity as the conventional diapers," said Million Asefa, a trader.
    Almaz Asresie uses Maryod diapers for her baby. She says she finds them cheaper and more comfortable for her baby than disposable brands.
    "It is really nice. I have been using this diaper since I had my baby, for over a year now. It is very affordable because you can wash and reuse it over and over again instead of using disposable ones," she said.
    Tamiru wants to expand her business further and has booked an appointment to see Dr. Samson Aiby, a business advisor at consultancy firm, R&D group.
    "Her product has a huge potential not only in Ethiopia but in East Africa. Not only in East Africa, it will help those who are in need of it. Hopefully within one or two years time, I hope we will see her product in all over the world because if she got support and a little to product design I think her product has a huge potential," said Samson Aiby.
    Tamiru says it gives her great fulfilment to see that many girls can now stay in school because of her product. She plans to partner with other organizations in future so that students can also have access to clean toilets in schools.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register