Many girls in rural Uganda are frustrated with using cloth and banana fibers to manage their menstrual periods, and the standard pads on the market are too expensive for them to afford. In addition to being uncomfortable, the cloth or banana fiber pads can cause infection. Ecosmart is addressing this problem by developing a sanitary pad made from sugarcane residue that is affordable, high quality, and made locally. By leveraging locally available materials to minimize costs in production, Ecosmart will make low cost pads that will improve menstrual hygiene for girls and women in rural Uganda.
