Tina Pads

Tina Pads exists to support adolescent girls in Malawi to stay in school by delivering reproductive health education and reusable sanitary pads.

The Problem

Because many girls in Malawi cannot afford the expensive disposable pads sold in stores, they use a makeshift folded rag made from cloth that leaks within a few hours. Because of this, girls are forced to stay home from school during their menstruation. Approximately 1 million Malawian girls miss over 6 weeks of school per year simply because they do not have access to sanitary pads during menstruation, and many will leave school altogether.

The Solution

Tina Pads works to produce and offer packages of reusable sanitary pads to girls through community-based distribution models. The pads last at least two years, providing a method to keep girls in school at a cost that is affordable to low income families. By making affordable sanitary pads, delivering health education, and informing policy, Tina Pads creates new opportunities for women and girls to thrive as focused students, productive workers, and informed mothers.