Menstrual products
create jobs in Ethiopia

Insufficient access to adequate and affordable menstrual products

In Ethiopia, only 30 per cent of women and girls of reproductive age had access to adequate menstrual products in 2023. For the majority, these products are too expensive and are also difficult to find in rural areas. Home-made solutions such as cloth pads are often unhygienic and carry a risk of infection, which can lead to infertility or complications during birth. Social restrictions during menstruation are also an issue – apart from the lack of access to the necessary products, taboos affect attendance at school and at work, in particular. Absenteeism leads to lost earnings in households and even has a macroeconomic impact. 

The Ethiopian company Mela for Her is addressing these challenges. Based in Addis Ababa, it was founded in 2020 and produces reusable fabric pads that are distributed via a network of women in rural areas. The small enterprise is entering a high growth market and wanted to expand its production capacities, for which it needed more specialist staff and help with introducing a quality management system. These would enable the company to meet the needs and expectations of customers and other interested parties (such as authorities and supermarkets) based on nationally and internationally recognised quality management standards. 

Promoting production and sales, facilitating access and spreading knowledge 

Invest for Jobs worked with Mela for Her from June 2022 to April 2024 to promote the production of reusable pads. The partnership had two objectives: first, to create good jobs for women and people belonging to low-income groups in production and sales, and second, to increase access to adequate menstrual products, particularly in rural areas. 

With support from Invest for Jobs, further training was provided for 241 people in sales, production and quality assurance. The training courses, which lasted around two months, covered production techniques such as sample production, fabric cutting and sewing, and other areas such as sales techniques, safety regulations and knowledge of menstrual hygiene. The company was supplied with a range of trainers to cover these different topics. 

With the help of Invest for Jobs, women freelancers were also trained to sell the products in rural areas door to door and woman to woman in a safe setting. Menstruation is particularly taboo in rural areas. The saleswomen also play an important role in raising awareness of menstrual health and thus contribute to breaking the taboo. Improved access to menstrual products and greater awareness of menstrual health enable women and girls to go to work and attend school. 

Mela for Her’s business idea fills an economic and social gap. Being able to ensure that international quality standards are met was one of several barriers to revenue growth. The Alliance for Product Quality in Africa (AfPQ), part of Invest for Jobs, provided support in this area. Thanks to the assistance of AfPQ, Mela for Her and its suppliers developed capacity in quality management according to the international ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14000 standards and received the corresponding certification.