Startup Story
Catherine Nakayemba is the co-founder and administrator of Safe Girl in Uganda, a business on a mission to lower the cost of menstruation by making safe and eco-friendly reusable menstrual kits. Each kits consists of two reusable sanitary pads, a knicker, storage bag and a piece of soap. This lasts for 12 months hence enabling a rural woman or girl to save from buying monthly pads. Since launching the business, it has produced over 1000 reusable menstrual kits and distributed them all around Uganda. The business employs 20 women working in both production and marketing of the pads.
LoA found out more about this impact driven enterprise this month from co-founder Catherine Nakayemba.
What does your company do?
Safe Girl manufactures reusable menstrual kits for rural women and girls in Uganda. We also train rural communities and schools on how to make reusable sanitary pads. Additionally, we conduct menstrual awareness sensitization campaigns in both schools and communities as a way of providing accurate information about menstruation and disputing myths around it.
“It wasn't easy to focus on what I am doing right now. I had lots of ideas but didn't know which one to focus on until l found someone who had the same passion as mine, helping to improve lives of marginalized girls and women in rural Uganda.”
“We aim to empower and support more rural women and girls through production of reusable sanitary pads.”
What inspired you to start your company?
After losing my parents at a very young age, and without the love and support of a family, l struggled to obtain my most basic needs such as food and tuition. Undaunted, l persevered and managed to complete my secondary school education. At that point l was able to live with my aunt, my only remaining family member.
More challenges arose when l began to menstruate. With no sanitary supplies available to me, l was forced to use rudimentary materials such as banana fibers and paper. Like most of the girls l have met, l was forced to stay home and miss school when l had my first period. At one point, believing that menstruation was making her sick, my aunt took me to a witch doctor to “cure” me. Fortunately, a friend took me to a hospital where l was diagnosed with an infection. After completing my A-level studies l joined SINA (Social Innovation Academy Academy) where, for the first time in my life, l received the support l had always lacked, including coaching and mentorship. As an effort to pay it forward and help others like myself, l co-founded Safe Girl.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Safe Girl not only provides reusable sanitary pads but we provide a menstrual kit that consists of two reusable sanitary pads, a knicker, a storage bag and a piece of soap. This package is enough to take a girl a full year without spending more on pads. As an additional service we offer education about menstruation and hygiene at large to keep our customers and beneficiaries informed.
Tell us a little about your team
We are a team of three (3) passionate ladies with other supporting team members in operation and production. With me as the administrator, Angella as the marketing manager and fundraiser, and Ndagire as the sales coordinator.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
My aunt was an entrepreneur and she always came up with an idea that could bring in daily income to support us. She always inspired us to think outside the box. After being mentored at the social innovation academy, l started putting everything l learnt from home and from the academy into practice. It wasn't easy to focus on what I am doing right now. I had lots of ideas but didn't know which one to focus on until l found someone who had the same passion as mine, helping to improve lives of marginalized girls and women in rural Uganda.
“We aim to introduce a new product on the market after the pads have become well known. We plan to establish branches to the different refugee camps around Uganda because that is where the problem is mostly.”
“The impact we create in the lives of rural women and girls on a daily basis gives me satisfaction, and knowing that l exist to make someone else’s life better satisfies me and keeps me going every day.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We plan to expand our market to the urban areas of Uganda. Currently we are focused in Mpigi but we aim to capture a larger market. We aim to empower and support more rural women and girls through production of reusable sanitary pads.
We aim to introduce a new product on the market after the pads have become well known. We plan to establish branches to the different refugee camps around Uganda because that is where the problem is mostly. We also plan to expand our production site to accommodate 100 sewing machines, hence increasing employment to rural women.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
The impact we create in the lives of rural women and girls on a daily basis gives me satisfaction, and knowing that l exist to make someone else’s life better satisfies me and keeps me going every day.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
My advice is to not think about the money when starting but rather the impact that you are going to create in the lives of people. Money will come along the way. What matters is the lives you change.
Contact or follow Safe Girl
WEBSITE | EMAIL nakayembaf@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
Very often, some of the most successful impact driven businesses are those inspired by challenges that need to be solved at a community level. For Catherine Nakayemba, that inspiration came from her own personal experiences and the deep desire to empower young women and girls to take control of their lives and their education. By empowering young women around issues of menstrual awareness, she is opening up opportunities for them to fulfill their potential and better their lives. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa