00:00In a small workshop in the heart of Addis Ababa, the sound of sewing machines
00:04fuel the air as women turn cotton fabric into reusable sanitary pads.
00:09For founder Anand Ahmed, the work is about more than making an affordable alternative
00:15to disposable products. It is about restoring dignity, keeping girls in school
00:19and breaking the silence surrounding menstruation in Ethiopia.
00:23I used to be one of those girls who have a very heavy flow.
00:26So whenever my period comes, it used to stain my clothes in the desk that I used to sit on.
00:33And because of that, I don't come to school like a week or two weeks making up excuses.
00:38I completely left the fashion industry and started this by the end of almost COVID,
00:45when COVID finished up. So I said, I just want to do my part in the community.
00:50At Nigat Kukkep School in Addis Ababa, the initiative is already making a difference.
00:56For a 15-year-old student, Batsalot, reusable pads offer a practical solution
01:01while helping her avoid the embarrassment associated with leaks from disposable alternatives.
01:08When we use the other one, it can leak and touch our inner clothes.
01:12It touches our clothes and then embarrassment arises.
01:16This one, first it is clothed.
01:19We can wash it and reuse it, second, in a way that doesn't touch our clothes or inner clothes.
01:26In a country that imports all its sanitary pads,
01:30their high cost puts them beyond the reach for many women and girls.
01:34At the school, some teachers believe preparing girls before their first period
01:39is essential to preventing fear, isolation and absenteeism.
01:44Before it comes, we pass safety cues to young children so they don't panic before seeing their period,
01:51so they don't feel they're alone or scared in experiencing this,
01:55and we ensure they don't miss school.
01:58I do the same thing with my daughter at home.
02:01When she sees her period, we celebrate it as her womanhood.
02:06So we're trying to create that kind of freedom to talk about period,
02:13be it in our social media, in our community.
02:16We're raising our voice.
02:17For Hanan, every reusable pad represents an opportunity to challenge shame,
02:22improve access to menstrual hygiene,
02:25and give girls the confidence to participate fully in everyday life.
