Help Teddy Empower Tanzanian women and girls

Please help us to make a transformative impact on the lives of girls and women in Tanzania!

Meet Teddy Kimbuyathelesia. Teddy's vision is to provide low cost reusable sanitary pads to Tanzanian girls and women, so that girls can continue attending school. Currently Tanzanian families have to purchase expensive imported disposable pads. These are environmentally toxic and often unaffordable for low income families, so many girls in these families have to stay home during their menses.

Teddy is a young single mom who is passionate about helping young women like herself. Her vision is to train eight women to make the reusable pads and then sell them through local markets. The Ndito EmpowerHER women's group in Arusha are supporting her and will help with marketing and selling the pads.

[Image: Teddy learns from Chinyere, Shawn and Nashipai Sisters that she will receive support to make her dream into a reality, Arusha, Tanzania, July 2024]

Teddy needs a small amount of funding to purchase sewing machines, materials, marketing and packaging materials and to pay for the training. Student volunteers in the Davies Forum on Birth Justice are partnering with Black Women Birthing Justice, the Nashipai Sisters and the Ndito women to support Teddy. Will you help Black Women Birthing Justice fund this powerful and sustainable project?

Teddy has named her small business-to be "Zawadi Pads". Zawadi is the Swahili word for gift and the name acknowledges both the gifts from donors like you, and the gift that these pads will be to low income women and girls. The Zawadi pads project has the following goals:

I. Provide Affordable Sanitary Products: Produce and sell high-quality, reusable sanitary pads at an affordable price to ensure access for low-income girls and women in Tanzania.

II. Empower Girls in Education: Reduce school absenteeism among Tanzanian girls by providing them with reliable menstrual products, enabling them to attend school regularly during their periods.

III. Empower Local Women: Employ and train local Tanzanian women in the production of reusable sanitary pads, providing them with sustainable income and skills development opportunities.

IV. Promote Sustainable Practices: Utilize locally sourced, environmentally friendly materials for the production of sanitary pads, contributing to environmental conservation and reducing waste.

V. Raise Awareness and Education: Conduct educational campaigns in schools and communities to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene management and the benefits of using reusable pads, reaching at least 200 girls and women in the first year.

VI. Achieve Financial Sustainability: Generate a steady income stream by reaching a sales target of 300 reusable pads within the first year, with a plan to reinvest profits into community education and expansion efforts.

VII. Foster Community Partnerships: Establish partnerships with local NGOs, schools, and health organizations to distribute pads and provide menstrual health education, expanding reach and impact across Tanzania.

VIII. Support Long-Term Growth: Scale the business to reach 5 regions (Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Manyara, Singeta, and Zanzibar - Wajamama) of Tanzania within five years, with a vision to expand to neighboring countries, empowering more women and girls across East Africa.