Project description
Menstrual-health education and reusable-pad production build skills, confidence and enterprise opportunities for adolescent girls and young women. Banana-fiber supply chains, agroforestry, watershed care and school greening connect this work to the surrounding agricultural economy.
Explore the community context, existing work and development plans described by the project.
More project details
- Traditional Authority
- Kingdom
Community Context
The submitted description gives an estimated population of 692,479 for the wider Nansana area. This is community context, not a verified count of people directly served by the project.
Direct beneficiaries: Adolescent girls (school-going and out-of-school) and young women, who will receive menstrual health and hygiene education, reusable sanitary pad production skills, entrepreneurship and life skills training, and environmental stewardship education.
Indirect beneficiaries: Local community members, farmers, banana-growing households, youth groups, and community health workers involved in production, agricultural linkages, health promotion, and environmental restoration activities.
The project sets out a five-year development horizon.
Back to sections ↑Ecological Landscape
- Restoration priorities: Rebuilding soil organic matter and fertility, restoring vegetation cover, protecting watersheds, and recovering biodiversity - through agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, composting, mulching, erosion control, tree planting, and restoration of degraded areas. Particular emphasis on sustainable banana-based agroforestry systems.
Mining/mineral activity: Sand mining in the region has led to destruction of watersheds, contributing to rising flood cases in parts of the region.
Back to sections ↑Core Project Systems
Primary component:
- sanitary pad manufacturing from banana leaves
Additional activities:
- Agroforestry
- Natural pharmacy
Three Pillars of Sustainability
Social
Improves menstrual health, helps keep adolescent girls in school, and builds confidence, independence, and future economic opportunity. Menstrual health education and access to affordable reusable pads reduce stigma and menstrual-related barriers to education. Vocational training covers pad production, tailoring, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and life skills. Partnerships with health workers and local facilities strengthen health education, referrals, and access to adolescent-friendly services. Environmental activities (tree planting, soil restoration, waste reduction, sustainable banana production) contribute to a cleaner, healthier community.
Environmental
Reduces plastic waste through reusable pad production and integrates youth-led conservation: reforestation, watershed protection, school greening, biodiversity enhancement, and sustainable land management. Adolescent girls become active agents of environmental stewardship through education and community engagement.
Financial
Equips adolescent girls and young women with practical skills in reusable pad production, tailoring, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and marketing - creating small community-based enterprises producing and selling affordable, sustainable menstrual products. Links local farmers into the value chain through sustainable banana production and the supply of banana leaves as raw material. Reduces dependence on externally sourced menstrual products, creates new livelihoods, increases household incomes, and keeps economic value in the community. Over time, trained participants may form cooperatives or small enterprises, building a sustainable, community-owned economic model.
Back to sections ↑Role Within the Country Platform
The project functions as an integrated platform combining community health promotion, environmental restoration, and youth vocational training. It strengthens community health systems through menstrual hygiene education and referral linkages, demonstrates climate-smart and regenerative environmental practices, and provides practical skills training in reusable pad production and entrepreneurship - aligning with national priorities around public health, environmental sustainability, and youth economic opportunity.
Back to sections ↑Potential Synergies With Other Projects
The project plans to collaborate with existing health, WASH, agricultural, vocational training, environmental, youth empowerment, and market initiatives:
- Agricultural programs - supporting sustainable banana production and banana-leaf raw material supply
- Health and WASH partners - strengthening menstrual hygiene education and access to safe water/sanitation
- Environmental organizations - supporting reforestation, soil restoration, watershed protection, and biodiversity conservation
- Vocational institutions, farmer groups, cooperatives, schools, and local markets - supporting skills development, production, entrepreneurship, and market access
Collaboration & Partnership Needs
The project's primary needs: technical expertise, training, equipment, raw materials, safe water, renewable energy, production space, transportation, environmental restoration support, and market linkages.
Key partners identified: agricultural extension services, health facilities, vocational institutions, environmental organizations, farmer groups, women's cooperatives, schools, businesses, and local markets.
Back to sections ↑Governance
- Project Lead: Agie and Flora Skills Development Centre
- Local partner organization: Center for Women in Need
- Community groups involved: Teenage mothers, out-of-school girls, and young women
- Relevant training completed: Earth Awareness, Nursery Management