ONE stitch at a time, 32-year-old Verna Xoagus, a creative from the Namibian capital of Windhoek, is sewing reusable sanitary pads to ease access and promote menstrual health.
Xoagus works to address dire demands for affordable sanitary products in the country through her social enterprise, Laverne Sanitary Pads.
‘I read newspaper articles about the high statistics of girls who miss school due to costly disposable pads. I intend to address the problem and motivate the girls to stay in school and eventually alleviate period poverty,’ she said Friday.
Xoagus started making reusable pads from cotton material in 2021 after extensive research from books and online sources. The cloth sanitary pads, sewn by hand, consist of three layers.
‘It has a top layer, which receives, then it has the core part in the middle, which holds and a proof layer preventing leakage,’ she explained.
The sanitary pads are washable and can last up to three years, unlike disposable pads, which people buy frequently.
‘This is more cost-effective. So you can imagine what big difference these can make in a girl’s life and future,’ Xoagus told Xinhua news agency.
The pads and packaging are designed to cater to diverse people. ‘A pack usually has five pads of the high, medium, and normal flows to ensure inclusivity,’ she said.
Although her initial target populace was learners, the clientele grew with non-governmental organisations also buying to donate to girls. ‘Young professionals also expressed keen interest in reusable sanitary pads. I have also since expanded to making maternity pads to cater to mothers,’ she said.
Meanwhile, Xoagus educates the clients on how to wash the pads to promote hygienic use. Each packaging includes an information sheet with instructions. ‘I also make use of videos to demonstrate. I also promote the project on social media and at exhibitions,’ she told Xinhua.
So far, she has tailor-made 3,500 pads.
Moreover, sewing the pads has become a passion for protecting the environment. ‘The pads are biodegradable, thus environmentally friendly and sustainable,’ according to Xoagus.
Meanwhile, she hopes to reach more people in efforts to help the government address menstrual poverty on a larger scale.
‘It makes me happy. I believe I was born to do this, which also helped me conquer personal fears. It brings me joy,’ she said.
Meanwhile, she is also on her way up to building a sustainable business model for the venture.
A cash injection she won during the Pitch-on-Point competition also aided in improved business operations.
‘I bought a better sewing machine and equipment to set up a production space,’ she said.
Business and financial acumen are supplemented by participating in the Enhancing Entrepreneurship Development Programme and StartUp Namibia, a non-profit organisation that builds an entrepreneurial culture for Namibian startups.
In the interim, Xoagus is looking to redefine the venture’s business model by securing nationwide distributors to reach more people.
‘The aim is to address gaps at all spheres of society,’ she said.
Ester Anna Nghipondoka, Namibia’s minister of Education, Arts, and Culture, said that realizing this vision of education required collaboration to spur social uplifting.
‘However, we need everybody’s creativity and intelligence to ensure that inclusion, equity, human rights, and peace define our future,’ Nghipondoka said.
