Eco-Sanitary Trading, owned by two Namibian women, used DBN finance to finance a machine to manufacture affordable sanitary pads, as well as for operating capital and office equipment.

The cost of sanitary pads is beyond the means of many Namibian women and girls, and this places them in the position of having to use unhygienic or dangerous methods or to stay away from work or school during menstruation.

 

Affordable sanitary pads enable women to continue working and girls to continue attending school while menstruating. This has major benefits in terms of income generation and uninterrupted education for girls.

In addition to employment for the two owners, the company has created employment opportunities for 10 people. The employment opportunities favour women. The facility operates in shifts, requiring a higher number of employees.

Primary transfer of skills lies in operating the equipment to manufacture the sanitary pads, as well as for packaging machinery. The machine has to be repaired by the company that provided it.