Nearly 500 million girls and women worldwide are in a situation of menstrual insecurity: they encounter difficulties in obtaining sanitary protection, painkillers or underwear due to low income. Added to this are the difficulties of access to water, sanitation facilities, hygiene products as obstacles to the progress of girls' and women's rights to health and hygiene. Worldwide, nearly 1 in 4 schools have no sanitation facilities and 1 in 3 schools do not have adequate toilets for girls to be able to manage their menstruation.
The lack of infrastructure or the quality and maintenance of existing infrastructure impacts the schooling of young girls in terms of attendance: 1 in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their menstrual cycle, representing 20% over the school year.
In Burkina Faso, 3 out of 4 women are affected by menstrual insecurity. For some, the priority is to maintain their dignity through a solution that preserves their privacy, for others it is about continuing to lead a normal active life during this period. Those who have the financial means turn to disposable solutions, the composition and impact on their health of which they are often unaware. The less well-off stop their activities completely and isolate themselves during the entire menstrual period.
Founded in 2017, the social enterprise "PALOBDE" has developed a range of reusable hygiene products, including washable and reusable sanitary towels, menstrual panties and washable baby diapers. "Palobdé" means "what we do not throw away".
Supported by Sinergi Burkina, the first impact investment fund dedicated to start-ups and SMEs with high potential in Burkina Faso (created in 2014 by the Investisseurs et Partenaires fund), Palobdé is today the leader in the Burkinabe market for reusable hygiene products made from natural and local raw materials.
Guided by a strong societal commitment, Palobdé Afrique is one of the few Burkinabe companies to integrate impact into its activity. It supports development sector stakeholders in the implementation of their education and reproductive health programs by providing reusable hygiene kits, conducting training and awareness-raising activities on menstrual hygiene, or creating income-generating activities (IGAs) for the development of employment and income opportunities for local communities.
• Improving knowledge and management of menstrual hygiene:
Awareness-raising activities carried out by the Palobdé NGO, whose missions include improving the level of knowledge in menstrual health and supporting advocacy actions with decision-makers to combat myths and taboos surrounding menstruation. Organization of 5 sessions for 250 targeted adolescent girls/women on the Kaya site and 750 in Ouagadougou.
The target audience is also supported in the production of their own soap with a view to developing an income-generating activity.
• Establishment of a network of 50 women leaders for the marketing of Palobdé menstrual hygiene products and awareness raising on menstrual hygiene management:
To create a network of resource people within the target communities capable of continuing actions to promote menstrual hygiene and sexual and reproductive health, 50 women, among the 1,000 beneficiaries, are trained by Palobdé Africa teams. They also constitute the marketing and awareness raising network in the target intervention areas.
• Implementation of income-generating activities.
The 50 women leaders who are members of the Palobdé network are developing the sales network for Palobdé products and are in turn raising awareness among communities on menstrual hygiene management. To this end, they are equipped with installation kits (reusable sanitary towels, saponification kits, training kits) and are tasked with marketing the products to women's associations, NGOs in the region, markets and local shops.
The sale of menstrual hygiene products (washable and reusable sanitary towels and soap) and other products (baby diapers, nursing pads) allows women to have a regular income and thus meet the needs of their household.
• Development of the social enterprise's sales network.
This initiative aims to diversify Palobdé Afrique's customer base and stabilize its business model in order to contribute to achieving its ambitious turnover target of one and a half million euros as part of the company's 2024-2027 Strategic Development Plan.
• Monitoring-evaluation-capitalization.
The achievements and lessons learned during the project implementation phase are shared with other member organizations of the AMADE network working in the field of intimate hygiene management, more particularly the Sacodé association in Burundi.
1. At least 70% of women and adolescent girls in internally displaced persons (IDP) sites adopt better practices in the management of their menstruation.
2. 100% of adolescent girls and women targeted by the project have access to menstrual protection.
3. 50 internally displaced women/adolescent girls become resource persons and role models for the promotion of hygienic menstrual management and sexual reproductive health within their communities in the Centre and Centre-North regions.
4. 50 women/adolescent girls have increased their income (higher than or equal to the guaranteed minimum interprofessional wage SMIG) thanks to income-generating activities linked to sales resulting from training.
5. The Palodbé NGO is better structured, complementary to the actions of the social enterprise and known as a major player in the promotion of hygienic menstrual management at the national and international levels.
6. The Palobdé Afrique social enterprise is strengthened economically and strategically.
7. A transfer of expertise allows the SaCoDé organization to develop the roadmap for the transition to a social entrepreneurship model.
Promoting menstrual hygiene management among 1,000 internally displaced girls and women
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Burkina Faso
Kaya
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Project status
In progress
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Duration
2024-2026
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Funding
120 000 €
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Beneficiaries
• 1,000 women and girls trained in menstrual hygiene management
• 50 women beneficiaries of income-generating activities
• Internally displaced girls and women from the intervention provinces
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Partners
Palobdé Social entreprise
Palobdé NGO
La Fabrique
Orange Fab
Sacodé
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Objectives
1. Strengthen the capacities of young girls and women in the IDP sites of Kaya and Ouagadougou in terms of menstrual hygiene management.
2. Increase the economic opportunities of adolescent girls and women beneficiaries through income-generating activities.
3. Strengthen the organizational and institutional capacities of the social enterprise Palobdé Afrique and the Palobdé association.