Hi Barb

That's great news, am sure that presentation will help you with getting some money.

Ginger, if you are wanting to get hold of some pads for Wakitaka or Kisozi, before you travel next year, check out Afri-Pads http://www.afripads.com/ who are making them in Uganda. They are in Masaka so the other side of the country but may be able to send some as a sample, which will mean they can get them before next summer without you having to send them from the USA. They may also be able to advise your guys (and Kabondo too) on the practicalities of making them locally as there would not be direct competition between the groups due to distance.

Mary

Dear All,

I am sorry for my unavailability for long time. Actually I could not manage time. I would like to point out that some pads with synthetic protective sheet will be good for the girls with heavy bleeding.

Rumjhum

I love the power point presentation Barb! Simple, straight to the point and will definitely make it easier to show prospective NGO's or funders, what you are trying to achieve.

It is such a worthwhile project and if it can become an income generator, then that is a bonus.

Hi Rumjhum

Can you explain the synthetic protective sheet more? I'm not sure how it works with the cloth pads. If you have any images of this, please let me know!

Thanks,

Barb

Hi Barb,

I think Rumjhum is talking about a fabric which they call PUL. It is a fabric used for cloth sanitary pads as well as for Modern Cloth Nabppies. It has a coating of Polyurethane which makes it water proof but still breathable.

Sometimes they also use a layer of nylon to prevent leakages, but I think the PUL is better as it is breathable. In the pads, they use it as the last layer between the pad and the underpants. It helps to prevent the leaks.

Below is a link with an explanation...
http://www.celticclothswholesale.com/pages/PULFabric.htm

Hi Melissa,

Thanks for this info and the link.

Eric - do you know if this type of material is available in Kenya and if so, what are the costs?

Barb

Hi Barb,

I have never heard of it. I asked in some places but nobody seems to know. i will keep asking.
Thanks.

Eric

Hi guys

Thought you might be interested to read the reply that Esther (Kisozi facilitator) got from Afri Pads
http://www.nabuur.com/en/village/kisozi/project/task/reusable-sanitary-p...

They suggest this is not likely to be a viable small-scale business, I have no way to know if they are right or not. The fact that they use imported materials would increase their costs. Unfortunately from reading their reply, it does not look as though it would be possible to get any more explanation from them. And have seen mention of other groups in Kenya that are doing this successfully, so maybe its more possible than they think!

Mary

Hi Mary,

Thank for sharing this information.I think for us at the moment we cannot say the project i viable or not.We will need in future when we receive support to carry out a cot benefit analysis based on the resources we have locally to be able to make a prudent decision.They should have given us reasons why they think this project is cannot be viable.

That is the only way to help humanity because we will be starting from a position of some information to work for or against.

Thank you

Eric

Hi Eric

I completely agree - if groups are not prepared to share their experience and ideas, then things will never change.

On the subject of business, Afri Pads said:

"as an incorporated business with shareholders and more mportantly, with a patented design, we cannot go ahead and encourage other groups (albeit small-scale) to start manufacturing our product. Furthermore, to be sincere, small-scale reusable pad operations are simply are not income-generating. Production costs heavily outweigh the profits, as the target customers (rural schoolgirls) are the least capable of paying for the pads. Our direct sales to schoolgirls often incur a loss, which require us to secure subsidies from abroad. Additionally, many of the high-quality materials needed to make our product must be imported from abroad, which is prohibitively expensive on a small-scale. "
".... nor are we able to provide you with information about starting a pad-making operation. However, Afri-Pads exists as a business because we have worked hard to overcome these challenges...."

They also said that pads last about a year and that they are selling them at a cost of about US$2.50.

I think that there are ways you can learn before starting out, although there is never any guarantee that any business will be successful. And most of this learning will not cost you anything (or very little) to do if you plan it well.

There are also groups in Kenya already making pads, some reusable others disposable. Maybe one of them will be prepared to talk if you ask. If they say no, you have not lost anything apart from the time taken to write the email. I posted details of a couple a while ago - let me know if you can't find them and I will have a look.

Mary

Hi Mary and Eric,

There are some good points made here that we can learn from, but I think we should still try and move forward. To say it is not possible depends on a number of factors. There are always alternative ways to do and make things. As Mary says, there are other groups producing pads, as Mary says.

The cost of the pads and profit are determined by the materials used, the methods of production, distribution costs, salaries and wages paid to those making the pads, etc. I know little about Afri Pads but a few points jump out at me - they import their materials - which adds a greater cost; and being a business with shareholders I would assume they have staff members in managerial/business positions that get paid higher wages. Not to say that their points are not valid, but I still think it is worth a try to see if an individual income can be generated for the makers of the pads. Questions such as cost of materials and who the pads are marketed to would have to be considered. For example, if a small group was formed operated through KPAO, an initial investment may have to be made, but there could be 2 sales targets - one to women willing to pay a higher cost and school girls who would pay a lower cost. The higher priced ones could subsidize the lower price. This kind of approach was used by other projects.

Alternatively, this could be a micro-loan type project where 1 person takes it on a business in the community. She would only be generating income for herself, but producing pads for the community.

Another option is not to look at this as an income generating project - but just being sold for enough to recoup all costs. That way all money would go back into making new pads (non-profit business in the truest sense). If totals costs including a wage to the maker was $2.00, if the pad was sold for $2.00 then all costs are recouped and can be used again. Costs would have to be carefully monitored to see if there are changes in and prices adjusted accordingly.

As Mary points out as well, there are other groups, some of which have been eager/willing to talk with us. So if we can share information and learn from each other, then all the better.

Barb

I agree Barb,

Whilst Afri Pads comments should be taken note of (the negative comments can sometimes help you to avoid the problems), a lot of the flourishing businesses in todays world were told they were not a viable business opportunity when they started out.

The success depends on many things, some of which are, careful research (Afri Pads is but one source), an innovative approach, the willingness of the participants to put in the "hard slog", a ready market and a business model to suit that market.

The "best" pads probably require imported materials (such as the PUL fabric we talked about earlier), but where there is a will, there is a way. The pads can work without that layer of fabric, or if nylon is available it can be used instead. I have also been researching a technique that was used in the old days of waterproofing material. I don't know if you have ever heard of "oilcloth". It is an old fashioned technique of making material water resistant. I am not sure if it is suitable for this application, but I will gather as much information as I can and post it here. Probably not for a couple of weeks as I am flat out at the moment, but I WILL post it!

Mel

Hi Barb and Melissa

When I posted the information from Afri Pads, I was not trying to say "this won't work, don't do it", but "this is one group's opinion, do your research" i.e exactly what you two are saying! One way or another, girls and women in the area need sanitary protection.

I have just remembered.... There is a neigbour of Kabondo called Raphael http://www.nabuur.com/en/user/njararuhi/profile
He is part of an organisation working in Thika, Kenya. One of their projects has been to teach a group of girls how to make sanitary pads, in cooperation with a local vocational training centre. I don't know many details except that they are disposable not reusable, but you may still be able to learn from what they have done, get an idea of likely markets, costs etc. They also run a computer centre/library, farming and cooking projects. Eric, have the two of you been in contact with each other? If not, let me know and I will put you in touch so you can share information.

Mary

Hi Mary,

Didn't think you were saying that ;-). It was more of a response to the Afri-pads points/comments.

Great idea of contacting with Raphael - information sharing is best thing we can do!!

Melissa - I've never heard of this technique before, but if you can gather information, when you have time of course!!, then please do so.

Also - from the feedback, the girls didn't have too much of a problem with leakage. Their biggest concern was having enough liners to last during their cycle and knowing how many to use. If they have enough liners and can change them frequently, then they may not have too many problems. As Melissa points out as well, nylon could be used, which I think is available locally.

Barb

Hi Mary,

I have not been in contact with this guy.I would be grateful if you could do some introduction and then we can move on.

Thanks

Eric