The Situation
Millions of girls throughout the majority world are disempowered by the simple biological process of menstruation. Hygienic and affordable sanitary protection is often not available to girls in many developing regions. Instead, these young women commonly resort to the use of unsafe methods such as rags, grass, mud and soil. Others opt to dig a mud-hole and sit over it all day so that the blood will drip into the hole. The risk of infection is high.
Furthermore, the shame associated with bleeding results in many girls to avoid school during their periods. A young girl missing school because of menstruation for 4-5 days every month will lose an average of 13 learning days in a 3-month term. Indeed, inconvenience and shame associated with menstrual periods is considered the major cause for school dropouts among young women in Uganda.
Education is a pathway to the empowerment of women and girls in Uganda, Africa and throughout the developing world. Through education women are more likely to have economic security, to raise healthy children, and to take control of their own lives. Education reduces vulnerability.
Furthermore, the shame associated with bleeding results in many girls to avoid school during their periods. A young girl missing school because of menstruation for 4-5 days every month will lose an average of 13 learning days in a 3-month term. Indeed, inconvenience and shame associated with menstrual periods is considered the major cause for school dropouts among young women in Uganda.
Education is a pathway to the empowerment of women and girls in Uganda, Africa and throughout the developing world. Through education women are more likely to have economic security, to raise healthy children, and to take control of their own lives. Education reduces vulnerability.
The O-Pads Mission
In rurual Uganda, the O-Pads team of women work together to make each O-Pad. We are committed to a system of transformational trade that not only provides gainful employment to our staff but also creates access to these inexpensive and safe sanitary pads to girls and women who need them. O-Pads are sold both internationally and in Uganda. Proceeds are used to sustain the ongoing project.
Our mission is to empower women and young girls by promoting healthy menstrual practices that are dignified, affordable and eco-positive.
Our mission is to empower women and young girls by promoting healthy menstrual practices that are dignified, affordable and eco-positive.
- By manufacturing an affordable and effective sanitary product, O-Pads reduces this gender-specific obstacle to education and contributes to improved girl attendance and retention rates in primary and secondary schools across Uganda.
- O-Pads is also generating productive, rewarding, and meaningful employment opportunities for young women in rural communities where employment options are limited to the typical informal sector, and largely agriculture-based environment.
- O-pads inspires an ethic of environmental responsibility by marketing an eco-friendly product that significantly reduces polution caused by waste-intensive disposable sanitary pads and their improper disposal through burning or littering in garbage heaps and pit latrines
- O-pads is also a holistic mentoring group and hosts O-Clubs, O-Talks and Skills training in schools and communities in areas of hygiene, etiquette, entrepreneurship, career guidance, baking, sewing, public speaking, computer skills, jewellery making and other topics of interest to the young girls and women.
The O-Pads Solution
The O-Pads team manufactures cost-effective, reusable (washable) cloth sanitary pads in Uganda in order to limit the high rates of menstrual-related absenteeism among primary and secondary schoolgirls in rural Africa. The pads are made by local Ugandan women giving them the opportunity to generate an income and send their kids to school. At the same time our menstrual kit provides schoolgirls with affordable, environmentally-friendly menstrual protection for up to 1 year at approximately 41% of the total cost of a one-year supply of commercial sanitary pads. Each O-pad pack comes packaged with full instructions, and all packaging is recyclable. The packs of seven (a year's supply for one girl) currently costs just $20 U.S. Dollars. [DONATE A PACK NOW]
Our O-Pads style of cloth pads is all-in-one, in which the absorbent layer and the waterproof material are sewn inside the pad. The O-Pad model is sewn from most often cotton flannel or hemp (which is highly absorbent and not as bulky as cotton). O-Pads have become a popular solution among women and girls also because they are allergen and perfume-free, and thus can be more comfortable for women who suffer from irritations from using disposable pads.
O-Pads is a sustainable solution for girls and women in developing countries. The use of hygienic sanitary pads greatly enhances their health. It also provides them the opportunity to continue work and school during that time of the month, thereby improving their future progress and development.
Our O-Pads style of cloth pads is all-in-one, in which the absorbent layer and the waterproof material are sewn inside the pad. The O-Pad model is sewn from most often cotton flannel or hemp (which is highly absorbent and not as bulky as cotton). O-Pads have become a popular solution among women and girls also because they are allergen and perfume-free, and thus can be more comfortable for women who suffer from irritations from using disposable pads.
O-Pads is a sustainable solution for girls and women in developing countries. The use of hygienic sanitary pads greatly enhances their health. It also provides them the opportunity to continue work and school during that time of the month, thereby improving their future progress and development.
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