BeautyWaps
for Girls' Education

Through its action, BeautyWaps is committed to enable all girls to pursue their education without being disadvantaged by their gender. The free distribution of washable sanitary pads is crucial to tackle this global challenge.

Thanks to the reusable pads girls can finish school

60% of Kenyan women can't afford period protection. That forces many adolescent girls to stay home during their period and it quickly leads them to completely drop out of school. That's why BeautyWaps started a subsidiary in Nairobi where Kenyan cloth pads – washable and reusable – are manufactured. These pads are the heart of BeautyWaps' female hygiene kits, that also include a sex education booklet, two panties and a soap. The kits are distributed to poor schoolgirls, so they can go to school every day of the month!

Jeunes filles kenyannes posant avec leurs kits BeautyWaps Kit BeautyWaps d'hygiène féminine, qui comporte aussi un fascicule d'éducation sexuelle, deux culottes et un savon

Beautywaps creates reusable sanitary pads for school girls in Kenya

Each pad is cut and sewn by hand in Nairobi, Kenya with locally sourced cloth that is free of chemicals & perfume.

Présentation des BeautyWaps

Girls missed school every month

Many Kenyan girls miss school during their periods because they can’t afford sanitary pads. Girls often use a piece of old cloth for protection, but it can easily leak and stain her uniform. If a girl stains her uniform with blood, other students might bully her and shame her. “Boys could laugh at me and make fun about my soiled clothes and I would be very embarrassed so I would go home or tie my school sweater around the waist”, said one girl from Destiny School in Nairobi. Over time, girls miss exams and drop out of school. Many families don’t talk to their girls about menstruation and reproductive health, so a young girl who starts her period can find herself alone and confused about the changes she is going through. The lack of information around reproductive health can also lead to early pregnancy. It’s a major injustice.

BeautyWaps' innovative concept enables girls to stay in school

BeautyWaps is meeting these challenges by providing reusable sanitary pads to those schoolgirls. This solution enables them to go to school every day of the month. A BeautyWaps kit contains 7 durable, cotton pads that last over 5 years. That’s the time they need to finish 12 years of schooling. We also provide 2 pairs of panties to make sure the girls can actually wear the pads, and soap for washing them. The kit also contains an illustrated sex education leaflet. Racheal and Susan distribute the kits and instruct the girls how to use the pads followed by an honest discussion about reproductive health, STIs, and early pregnancy, all of which cause girls to drop out of school.

“The girls are always so excited about the BeautyWaps because of the fact that they can use them over and over again and they also love the beautiful design and prints on the BeautyWaps. They also say that Beautywaps do not cause any discomfort unlike the disposable pads. The quality of girl’s education and self-esteem has been greatly increased, no more absenteeism, no more sexual favors in exchange of pads etc.”
says Racheal

"I have been using BeautyWaps for the past one year and I like them because they are comfortable, easy to use and to wash, now I do not have to worry about buying sanitary towels every month or being absent from school when I am on my period. I love the fact that they are reusable!"

Environmental benefits

BeautyWaps targets schoolgirls from poor families, who often live in slums where municipal
waste management is nonexistent. In most slums, more than 100 people share one latrine, and accessing a distant latrine can be dangerous at night.
This leads to sanitation problems and diseases such as cholera. In addition, since there is no system for waste removal in these informal settlements, household waste—plastic bags, bottles and food scraps—is piled up and burned near the houses. BeautyWaps’ reusable sanitary pads don’t add to the waste problem.

Job creation

The sanitary pads are produced locally: Racheal and Susan cut and sew each pad in the BeautyWaps
workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. BeautyWaps creates local jobs for women and that helps to support entire families.

Rachael devant la machine à coudre pour BeautyWaps Susan à la machine à coudre pour BeautyWaps

Many thanks to

Everyone who has already contributed to giving schoolgirls BeautyWaps kits!
And to our CSR partners:

BeautyWaps for Girls' Education