From Maize Waste to Dignity: Uasin Gishu Unveils Innovative Sanitary Pad Project to Empower Girls and Protect the Environment

 In a groundbreaking initiative that combines women's health, environmental conservation, and economic empowerment, Uasin Gishu County has partnered with the Open University of Kenya (OUK) and Moi University to transform maize stalks into affordable sanitary pads for women and girls.

The project, implemented under the Fund for Innovation and Development (FID), seeks to address two pressing challenges facing communities across Kenya: limited access to menstrual hygiene products and environmental pollution caused by the burning of agricultural waste.

Branded as Amazing Sanitary Pads, the eco-friendly products are manufactured using maize stalks, an agricultural by-product that is often discarded or burned after harvest. The innovation not only provides a sustainable menstrual hygiene solution but also creates value from waste while reducing environmental degradation.

Speaking during a stakeholder engagement meeting, Uasin Gishu County Director of Preventive and Promotive Health Services, Laban Kiprop, who represented County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Janet Kurgat, praised the partnership for offering practical and sustainable solutions to community challenges.

"We believe in partnerships because they provide sustainable solutions to community challenges. Through collaboration, we can improve the health and well-being of women and girls while protecting our environment," said Kiprop.

He emphasized the importance of ensuring that girls have access to quality menstrual hygiene products and accurate information, noting that awareness creation remains critical in breaking stigma and improving menstrual health outcomes.

The initiative is guided by the "4 A's" of menstrual health — Affordability, Availability, Accessibility, and Acceptability — principles aimed at ensuring that no woman or girl is left behind.

Moi University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kiplagat Kotut described menstrual hygiene as a fundamental issue of health, dignity, and educational achievement.

"No student should miss classes, examinations, or opportunities simply because they lack access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, or accurate information," he said.

Prof. Kotut added that institutions of higher learning have a responsibility to foster environments that eliminate menstrual stigma and support learners in achieving their full potential.

Representing the Vice-Chancellor of the Open University of Kenya, Dr. Catherine Kagucia underscored the need to normalize conversations around menstruation and ensure that girls and women can manage their menstrual health with dignity.

"Menstruation is a natural biological process and should never be associated with shame, discrimination, or stigma," she noted.

A unique feature of the project is the establishment of village-based micro-plants in Kesses Sub-County, where local women's groups will produce the sanitary pads. The decentralized production model is expected to create employment opportunities, boost household incomes, and ensure that affordable sanitary products reach communities at the grassroots level.

According to the project team, the anticipated outcomes include improved menstrual hygiene, increased school attendance among girls, enhanced economic opportunities for women, and a significant reduction in environmental pollution through the productive use of maize waste.

The pilot phase has officially commenced in Kesses and is expected to expand gradually to other parts of the county as implementation progresses.

Community Health Promoters and local health officials, including Kesses Sub-County Community Health Strategy Focal Person Coordinator Daniel Tarus, have pledged their support in driving awareness campaigns and promoting menstrual health education within communities.

As Uasin Gishu pioneers this innovative approach, the partnership is being hailed as a model for sustainable development — demonstrating how local solutions can simultaneously improve lives, empower women, and protect the environment.

By turning maize stalks into a product that restores dignity and opportunity, the initiative is proving that one community's waste can become another community's solution.