A Nelson Mandela Bay businesswoman and socialist has created one of the most necessitated products for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Shaan Keegan is the founder of Sisterhood SA, a company that focuses on the girl child's health and their well-being. The company has designed a very thoughtful and hygienic reusable sanitary kit which consists of 1 x waterproof wings, 2 x thick pad liner insert, 1 x thing pad liner insert, 1 x pair of panties, 1 x packet of salt for cleaning purposes, 1 packet of bicarbonate of soda, biodegradable packaging for soiled product and this amazing kit is the first of its kind worldwide and also caters for sizing as to accommodate young girls starting as young at 10 years of age. Inside the package there is also information about how to use the product and a resource to raise awareness about diseases and hormonal afflictions that often affects young women.
Looking at how young women from disadvantaged backgrounds have been excluded and not catered for, one can fully agree that these Sisterhood sanitary kits are very essential in Africa, since it is affordable, reusable and made in Africa. The founder's thinking is also around job creation as the product is manufactured locally, and with great partnerships from the public and private sector the city can see itself opening a multi-million-dollar factory that can daily produce these sanitary packages, to be distributed to the needy not only in the Nelson Mandela Bay but in Africa at large. Speaking to Shaan about what plans, and conversations are they having as a team to further and grow this brilliant idea she said, "currently, we are in good continuous talks with different stakeholders from the Nelson Mandela Bay and out of the city, the aim is to get enough funds to manufacture as many as possible, employ the unemployed while touring schools to educate young girls more about the product".
This amazing initiative was founded because of the health issues the founder faced as an adolescent, which are mostly what young girls go through without the knowledge of the diseases they catch as due to environmental problems, disposable products they use and other causes. At times, due to lack of sanitary towels some adolescents are found using normal socks to take care of themselves as the normal price of the product in retail stores can be expensive for most girls and other households. Thus far, those who have seen the product believe this is a game changer and a breakdown of a generational curse cycle, where an affordable sanitary towel was a far-fetched dream. But if condoms are free, we also believe the government can start considering partnering with Sisterhood, to create jobs and health awareness about issues young girls face every day.
With the assistance of Jendamark Sisterhood had started distributing their first sanitary kits at some of the schools in New Brighton & Walmer, Gqeberha, and the teachers were not only happy with the packages but the educational content that comes with these makes it stand out. Shaan Keegan and her team are now working overtime to make sure the next distribution will be big enough to reach schools in rural areas too.
Shaan is engaging with the East African Health Platform, leading universities, education, and health departments across our continent for export expansion. Spar is already on board to assist with the Eastern Cape and the Zulu Kingdom have provided support for expansion not only in Zululand, however, in the KZN area.
Sisterhood SA has been endorsed by the United Nations, Social Justice for Women in SA and Novartis Pharmaceuticals who have a footprint into 47 countries in Africa.
If you believe this is the product you would like to see growing in Africa, you are very welcome to contribute financially or in any other means that you can afford by connecting with Sisterhood SA on the details below: