In a move aimed at fighting period poverty in Kenya, Galentine Care Ltd has launched an all women led Galentine Care Sanitary Pad Factory in Homa Bay County which will major in the production of sanitary pads while creating employment for women.<\/p>\n
The plant, which was opened by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, functions at the nexus of sustainable business, economic justice, and women\u2019s health.<\/p>\n
Located in Mbita, the factory will manufacture high-quality sanitary pads designed by women for women, selling them at prices up to 60%lower than prevailing market rates, as low as KSh 50.<\/p>\n
High-quality sanitary pads made by women for women will be produced at the Mbita facility and sold for as little as KSh 50, which is up to 60% less than current market costs.<\/p>\n
To encourage girls\u2019 education and lower absenteeism due to menstruation, a portion of the manufacturing will be donated to nearby schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not charity. This is a social enterprise rooted in dignity,\u201d said Governor Gladys Wanga. \u201cPeriod poverty, teenage pregnancy, and household poverty are deeply interconnected. When girls lack access to pads, they miss school. When they miss school, they become vulnerable. This factory offers a practical, sustainable solution that strengthens our economy while protecting our girls.\u201d<\/p>\n
This comes at a time when Homa Bay County continues to record the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Kenya having recorded more than 17,000 teenage pregnancies in 2024, accounting for approximately 22% of all reported pregnancies in the county.<\/p>\n
By mid-2025, over 10,000 new cases had already been recorded.<\/p>\n
Evidence and community experience consistently show that period poverty increases vulnerability, with some girls pushed into exploitative and transactional situations\u2014including exchanging sex for money to buy sanitary pads.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo girl should miss school because of her period,\u201d said MillieMabona, MP. \u201cThis factory proves that when we invest locally and legislate smartly, we can protect dignity, create jobs, and secure the future of our girls.\u201d<\/p>\n
By maintaining girls\u2019 education, promoting women\u2019s economic engagement, and enhancing menstruation health, Galentine Care directly tackles this issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWomen told us clearly: the barriers were cost and last-mile access,\u201d said Peter Macodida, Founder and CEO of Galentine Care. \u201cWith community-driven research, we learned that 97%of women in Homa Bay could afford pads priced at KSh 50. That insight shaped everything. This factory proves that market-based solutions can deliver dignity at scale.\u201d<\/p>\n
At full capacity, the plant is projected to expand from 17 skilled female employees to more than 200 in three years, reaching 430,000 women nationwide throughout that time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis factory is ours,\u201d said community representatives. \u201cIt is what paying back to the community looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n
With support from GalCare Inc. (USA), Galentine Care was founded barely nine months ago with the long-term goal of implementing this model in several Kenyan counties.<\/p>\n
Founders Stephanie March, Tracy Mackavin, and Peter Macodida emphasized that investing in women-led manufacturing is not only socially just but economically smart.<\/p>\n
\u201cGalentine Care is not just a factory\u2014it is a movement,\u201d saidTracy Mackavin,Co-Founder of Galentine Care. \u201cWhen women are given the tools and trust to lead, communities thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen women design solutions for their own lives, the impact is powerful. Galentine Care proves that women-led manufacturing can create jobs, keep girls in school, and build thriving communities. This is what investing in women truly looks like,\u201dStephanie March, Co-Founder of Galentine Care.<\/p>\n
The launch featured a factory tour, remarks from founders and partners, and engagement with the women Change makers leading production on the ground\u2014many of whom began their journey producing pads manually and now operate automated machinery capable of transforming access at scale.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis factory is the fulfillment of a long-held dream,\u201d said Jane Anyango, Director of Polycom Girls, whose organization works against period poverty. \u201cWe started with pad banks in schools because we saw firsthand how period poverty holds girls back. Today, with Galentine Care\u2019s factory here in Homa Bay, we are not just providing products\u2014we are building a future where girls stay in school, participate fully, and pursue their passions without shame or interruption. This is community-driven, quality-led, and designed by women who truly understand what girls need.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Kenya debates policies on menstrual health, taxation of raw materials, and access to sanitary products in schools, Galentine Care stands as a working example of what is possible when policy, innovation, and community leadership align.<\/p>\n
The post Sanitary pads factory launched in Homa Bay,aims to end period poverty<\/a> appeared first on KBC Digital<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a move aimed at fighting period poverty in Kenya, Galentine Care Ltd has launched an all women led Galentine Care Sanitary Pad Factory in Homa Bay County which will major in the production of sanitary pads while creating employment for women. The plant, which was opened by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, functions at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129775\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}