G&N - A Reusable Pad with a Difference

Problem: Access to affordable sustainable menstrual products for those living in rural communities and creation of employment and business opportunities for women in rural communities. 

Solution: The manufacture of reusable menstrual products by community groups and individuals in Zimbabwe using locally sourced materials where possible. Profits from sale of products in affluent parts of Zimbabwe and in North America will be used to subsidize the price of reusable menstrual products sold in rural communities. 

Impact: Creation of employment opportunities in Zimbabwe, which has an estimated 90% unemployment rate. Creation of a product that is more environmentally friendly than disposable pads and panty-liners and is more affordable and accessible for all who menstruate.

1. Employment. Zimbabwe has an estimated population of over 14 million, with an estimated 90% rate of unemployment. Most people are engaged in the informal business sector which is extremely vulnerable to economic and political disturbances. G&N's solution would create more stable employment opportunities. Profits will also go to training and assisting rural entrepreneurs in rural communities, creating more employment opportunities. 

2. Affordable menstrual products. An estimated 1.8 billion people menstruate worldwide, 500 million of whom cannot access or afford menstrual products (disposable or reusable). The products are not sold or made with affordability in mind. In Zimbabwe, an estimated 72% of menstruating school-aged girls cannot afford menstrual products. This is due to rapid inflation in the country and the lack of economic opportunities for their parents.

Our solution is a "what can you afford" model, charging more for those with more, and using that to subsidize the products for those with less. Subsidized products will be sold to communities through local female entrepreneurs (local shop owners, the informal market). The products will be sold to the female entrepreneurs at wholesale so they can make a sizeable profit from sales.

The solution is simple - going back to basics to create a more affordable and sustainable menstrual product. Reusable menstrual pads and pantyliners will be produced in Zimbabwe using local materials where possible, such as organically grown cotton (Zimbabwe produces some of the best cotton in the world). Menstrual pads will be manufactured by local communities through G&N's manufacturing partner. 

Reusable menstrual products will be shipped and sold in North America (eventually worldwide) and profits made from those sales will be used to subsidize pads sold in rural communities in Zimbabwe, with prices based on what individuals can afford. Rural women interviewed did not want the pads for free, they just wanted them to be affordable. Girls in rural communities working with G&N would get pads for free. 

G&N also aims to provide a quality product that will still be more affordable than what is currently available in the North American market.

To provide employment opportunities, foster entrepreneurship, and support small business in Zimbabwe. The solution will create employment opportunities for women in rural communities, support the agricultural and textile sector in Zimbabwe to help it grow, support female entrepreneurs in rural communities by providing them with a product at affordable wholesale prices and with training and support, and mentorship for women in rural communities. 

Over 3 million people in Zimbabwe menstruate and a large portion of them cannot afford disposable or reusable menstrual products. In a country where many live on less than USD$1 a day, purchasing disposables for USD$1 or a pack of 4 reusable pads for USD$5 is impossible. 

G&N regularly communicates with the women it works with in rural communities. What these conversations have revealed is that there is a desperate want and need for employment and access to menstrual products that work and are affordable. Cheaper products, when available, do not work. Women are currently using old rags and have indicated a feeling of shame when they have experienced leaks and stains. They also do not want the pads for free. They want an affordable product and to work so they can afford better products.

Marginalized population. Women and girls living in rural communities in Zimbabwe. 

Entrepreneurial opportunities. The solution builds on this in three main ways:

1. Uses local materials - supports the agricultural sector in Zimbabwe which is made up of small family owned farms in rural communities and the textile industry;

2. Supports local female entrepreneurs by providing them with a highly sought after product at a wholesale cost, which means they make a profit and can grow their businesses; and 

3. A portion of profits from the sales will be used to train and support female entrepreneurs in rural communities.

G&N's business model is similar to that of TOMS shoes (1 for 1) and is focused on what the consumer can afford, what is needed, and what the community requires. By creating jobs for women in rural Zimbabwe, the women can then afford to purchase menstrual products. G&N's solution is also innovative by providing female entrepreneurs with training, assistance, and mentorship (G&N has started and wishes to continue bridging the gap between urban entrepreneurs and rural entrepreneurs by creating a platform for successful female entrepreneurs to give advice and mentorship to struggling entrepreneurs in rural communities). 

Competition:

• Days for Girls (too expensive for most); 
• PadUp Zimbabwe (Charges USD$5 for a pack of 4 reusable pads, which is too expensive for most and often affordable for NGOs only, which is not a sustainable model). G&N has partnered with PadUp Zimbabwe for their expertise and has turned the competitor into a partner.
• AfriPads. Do not operate in Zimbabwe, but have a similar model
• The Brand Hannah (or Hannahpads). North American based company. The pats are too expensive for many. 

Uniqueness. G&N is about providing a quality product that is functional, beautiful, and affordable. The products are made in community settings. The products have unique African prints that are meant to be attractive and to be conversation starters on period poverty and period shame. The innovation is in using a simple yet essential product to meet the needs of the consumer and to provide the consumer with employment, education, support and training. 

The core technology of the product is not new. The menstrual products are made from durable cotton, which has been proven to work by companies such as The Brand Hannah and include PUL fabric, which is waterproof. This is a method of making reusable pads that has been used for many years by various reusable pad companies around the world and by those who make them at home. G&N is seeking to make the product in Zimbabwe on a larger scale in order to make the product more accessible. 

Sales in North America will be done via Shopify.

Reusable menstrual pads and panty-liners have been manufactured for many years. Companies that have been making and selling reusable menstrual products include AFRIpads (see https://www.afripads.com/), and The Brand Hannah (see https://hannahpad.ca/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg5uo0oCK6gIV0RZ9Ch2FfAFdEAAYASAAEgJITfD_BwE). 

Input

• Creation of employment opportunities in rural communities (in particular the over 14 villages working with G&N). 
• Menstrual products provided to girls in primary and high school in the rural communities working with G&N
• Training/mentorship of women in rural communities working with G&N

Output

• Increase in the number of girls receiving free menstrual pads from the current 200
• Increase in the number of women receiving training and mentorship through G&N and that they apply the new skills to their businesses
• Training and provision of employment to at least 20 people in the rural communities G&N operates in the first year of operation
• Women who currently cannot afford menstrual products are able to purchase G&N's products.

Outcomes:

Short-term

• Earnings made by those persons working to make G&N products will result in fewer poverty-related issues in rural communities including children missing or dropping out of school, and, in some extreme cases, child marriage. 

Long-term

• The more well-known G&N becomes, and with more people employed by G&N in rural communities, we anticipate that money earned by those making G&N products will result in more people being able to send their children on to higher education, giving them more opportunities to find good quality jobs.  
• We anticipate that the 200 women we support and provide with entrepreneurship mentorship will build businesses that provide them with a living wage. That those 200 women are constantly in communication with each other, without the intervention of G&N and are able to assist each other on business issues. That they will mentor others in business, employing the techniques learned through G&N's programming. It is also anticipated that the women who have successful business will be able to employ other individuals as their businesses grow. 
• A growth in G&N's business will result in a growth in the organic cotton industry and the textile market in Zimbabwe and other raw materials (such as bamboo cloth) which will all be used to make G&N products. 
• Increased openness and conversation around menstrual health and menstrual rights.

Currently: G&N provides around 200 girls with reusable menstrual pads, underwear, and soap each year. In 2018, G&N held a business and entrepreneurship workshop for 150 women in the community. We plan to expand these numbers with money made from the solution.

In one year: 

• 1000 women in rural communities in Zimbabwe and 700 girls who menstruate. 
• 50 women and men working to make the menstrual products.
• 200 women actively receiving training and assistance related to business, entrepreneurship and mentorship.
• 10 female entrepreneurs who are retail partners with G&N (in Zimbabwe) 

In 5 years:

• 5000 women in rural communities in Zimbabwe (purchasing the pads at a subsidized cost)
• 2000 girls who menstruate in rural communities (receiving free menstrual products, menstrual health education and other programming)
• More than 100 women and men working to make the menstrual products.
• 500 women actively receiving training and assistance related to business, entrepreneurship and mentorship or associated programming through G&N and its partners.
• 50 female entrepreneurs who are retail partners with G&N (in Zimbabwe) 

1. Selling G&N products nationally across Canada and entering the U.S. market. The more G&N is able to grow in the North American market and the more products sold, the more products G&N can make at a subsidized price and the more money G&N can use to fund programming for women and girls in rural communities in Zimbabwe. 
2. Increase G&N's exposure in North America. The more exposure G&N has through the G&N products, the more donations the non-profit will receive. These donations will also go towards provision of free menstrual products to girls and programming for women and girls in rural communities. 

• Harsh economic climate in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has been struggling economically for almost two decades, and with the recent shortages in US currency (which the country has been using as an official currency since 2008), these economic issues seem to be on the rise. This has led to massive cash, fuel, food, and power shortages. The country’s economic woes have also led to a high rate of unemployment, which has been estimated by some to be as high as 90%.  
• Political climate. Zimbabwe has had the same government for four decades. The government is generally viewed as a repressive and corrupt regime. A number of western countries, including Canada, have imposed targeted sanctions on the country until there is a shift in government policy in relation to human rights. The negative perceptions of the government have warded off would-be foreign investors in the country which has exacerbated the country’s economic issues. 
• Travel restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 Pandemic. 
• Tough competitive market in North America. 
• Exposure. G&N is still a small organization that is not a household name, which means marketing will be difficult.

• Harsh economic climate in Zimbabwe. By using raw materials that are sourced locally, this should limit the impact of economy as very few materials have to be imported into Zimbabwe.  
• Political climate. G&N will not be reliant on investment going straight to Zimbabwe. G&N is a corporation operating in Canada and is working with a well known, respected company in Zimbabwe. 
• Travel restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 Pandemic. Zimbabwe products are not made in one location, but are made by communities, sometimes in the comfort of the person's home, which decreases the need to travel. G&N and the manufacturer will work with companies that are permitted to travel in Zimbabwe to pick up and drop off raw materials and finished products. 
• Tough competitive market in North America. G&N will focus on its unique story, the quality of its product, and the design of its products to appeal to the North American consumer and set itself apart from other products on the market. G&N is not created to make a profit for profit's sake, but for the building and uplifting of rural communities. This is an impactful story, which, coupled with the quality of the product, will attract more consumers. 
• Exposure. G&N is working to grow its donor base as well as its consumer base. We are working on our marketing strategy and are reaching out to organizations with a wide reach to become more well known. 

N/A

1. Seven full Board Members for G&N
2. Dedicated part-time - President and Founder of G&N
3. Four student volunteers
4. One manufacturing partner working with G&N on a contractual basis (PadUp Zimbabwe)

We are passionate about menstrual rights, menstrual health, and women's equality. We are intimately connected with the issues faced by the women in rural Zimbabwe through experience and constant communication with the women and leaders in the community (the local councilman, the local headman, local nurse, teachers at the primary school, etc.). The founder and president of G&N calls the rural community her second home. 

The Board is composed of Africans (four from Zimbabwe, one from Uganda, one from Nigeria, and one from Kenya). Five of the Board live in Canada. We believe that solutions to the problems in Africa can only succeed and truly be sustainable if they come from the African people and if the people who are served are an integral part of that solution and are consulted. We have communicated with women in the rural community and other organizations in Zimbabwe to implement the solution in a way that works best for them. No decision is made without taking into account the needs and wants of the communities G&N serves. 

The team is made up of entrepreneurs. Two team members (the president and vice-president) are currently in the Masters of Management Innovation and Entrepreneurship program at the Smith School of Business at Queens University.

Collectively the team is made up of passionate entrepreneurs with over 40 years experience in a wide range of fields including law, health, charity, supply chain management, innovation, and public policy.   

1. PadUp Zimbabwe (Zimbabwean manufacturer)
2. Mukombami Primary school (the school at which pads are distributed yearly)
3. Rozaria Memorial Trust (NGO operating in Zimbabwe, we are working on formalizing the relationship).

Revenue Model:

1. Sale of reusable menstrual pads and panty-liners in North America;
2. Donations from donors in Canada;
3. Fundraising initiatives such as an Africa Day Festival (AfriFest) held annually in May;
4. Grant funding: as an incorporated non-profit organization based in Canada, G&N can apply for grants offered in Canada, Zimbabwe, and other countries; 
5. Once operating, G&N plans to reach out to governments that have promised to make menstrual products free for all menstruators (i.e., Scotland) and those that have said they will make menstrual products free to all girls in school (e.g. Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and British Columbia); and
6. Sponsorship: G&N plans to approach businesses both locally and internationally that are interested in empowering women and all businesses supporting the project will be featured on the G&N website.

Increase G&N's exposure in North America. G&N is small organization and we are still fairly unknown in Canada and Zimbabwe. We are just beginning to spread our reach. We need help marketing our brand and eventually the G&N products. The more exposure G&N has, the more donations the non-profit will receive and the more products we can sell which will have an impact on the communities we work with and the people who buy our products. Competition is stiff and the more people who know about us, the more likely they are to try our product and to trust us.

• Product/service distribution. G&N is looking for partners who can help with retail in North America and help us expand across Canada and into the US. 
• Funding and revenue model. G&N is still raising money for the solution and this money will be invested in the products and in the development of programming. We are on the lookout for grants, funding, and partners who can help us apply for the funding. 
• Board members or advisors. G&N needs advisors who can help us fine-tune our business model and provide advice and support. 
• Marketing, media, and exposure. G&N is looking for assistance marketing its products across North America. 

Any organizations and persons who have an interest in making menstrual products more accessible to all who menstruate. 

G&N qualifies for this prize because our project will empower women by:

1. creating employment opportunities for women in rural communities to help them make a living wage;
2. supporting and fostering female entrepreneurs in rural communities through training and mentorship, and the creation of a network of female entrepreneurs in rural communities;
3. providing women in rural communities with a much needed menstrual product that is both sustainable and affordable;
4. providing young girls with free menstrual products to keep them in school and keep them motivated; and 
5. increasing awareness around menstrual health and menstrual rights and dispelling myths and taboos around menstruation.

G&N qualifies for this prize because our project will empower women by:

• creating employment opportunities for women in rural communities to help them make a living wage; and
• supporting and fostering female entrepreneurs in rural communities through training and mentorship, and the creation of a network of female entrepreneurs in rural communities.