World Menstrual Hygiene Day// why we should Start Making use of Functional Pads -

Today is World Menstrual Hygiene Day, and I am being intimate with the Steemit community. I want to share with us this story that stroke my heart, I met a 15-year-old girl named Blessing last year. She was a math whiz but was always absent from school. When I found out why, my heart was broken and my life changed forever.

She was wearing old newspapers and rags in her time because her family couldn't support her with sanitary pads. This intelligent girl was losing education and risking infection due to something as simple as menstrual protection.

myself and my niece, the director of Terraverde Pads

That's when I decided to make a research on how we can have a washable pad and I discussed it with my niece since she was into Agriculture and production and she told me that something can be done and before I knew it, she came up with a company name as"Terraverde Care Pads".

my niece at her factory

I was happy when she came up with something and this is how it is, very interesting to hear.

This is where her story gets really interesting. Instead of bringing in expensive materials, she discovered something amazing right here in Nigeria - farm waste farmers usually burn or throw away can be turned into high-quality sanitary pads.

Pineapple Leaves: Once farmers harvest pineapples, they commonly burn the leaves. We cut the leaves and remove hard, absorbent fibers that are perfectly suited for our pad cores. "Waste" from one pineapple plantation can yield material for up to thousands of pads.

Maize Husks: Every corn harvest yields tons of husks that are hard for farmers to dispose of. We convert the husks to soft, very absorbent padding that's superior to any foreign material. Maize husks' natural properties make them perfect for use in menstrual products.

Banana Stem Fibers: Once banana trees are cut after fruiting, their stems go to waste. We extract very tough, naturally antimicrobial fibers from the stems that create leak-proof, soft pad layers.

• Farmers bring their farm waste to our collection centers
• We pay them handsome sums for material they used to throw away
• Our factory cleans and processes these natural fibers
• Every product is tested for safety, for absorption and comfort
• We mix up different fibers to create functional and biodegradable pads
• Finished goods are packed in material from the same agricultural residue

What I'm proudest of Terraverde Care Pads is not just that they are keeping girls in school. It's that they are positively impacting two communities simultaneously.

Mama Ngozi's Account: She harvests pineapples in Ogun State. Before, she would burn up to 200kg of pineapple leaves after harvest because getting rid of them cost her money. Now, she earns ₦45,000 extra during harvest periods from selling the same leaves to us. "It's like discovering money in my backyard," she told me.

Brother Emeka's Maize Farm: After his corn harvests, he would engage laborers to transport the husks away. Now we purchase the same husks from him for ₦25,000 per ton. From the previous season, he earned extra ₦150,000 over what he had previously considered waste. He is employing it to expand his farm and pay his daughter's university education.

The Cross River Banana Cooperative: 47 banana farmers now supply them with stem fibers. They have also become members of a cooperative that's brought them over ₦2.3 million in additional income from materials they previously abandoned to rot. They use the money to buy better farming equipment and improve their major crops.

• they have diverted over 89 tons of farm waste from being burned (reducing air pollution)
• 100% biodegradable materials - pads break down completely in 4-6 months
• No plastic waste whatsoever unlike normal pads that take 500-800 years to decompose
• Carbon footprint for carbon emissions from raw material transport is reduced through local manufacturing

Blessing's Maths Success: The 15-year-old who inspired this project just achieved 98% in her maths examination. She has not missed a single day of school since receiving their pads 8 months ago.

Rural Communities: Instead of taking them a 50km journey to the nearest town to purchase traditional pads, our locally-produced pads are available in their areas. Women save money and time.

For Farmers:

• Side Hustle Income: Earn money for materials you previously discarded
• Regular Income: Farm waste is produced after every harvest
• No Extra Work: We harvest directly from your farm
• Environmental Responsibility: Help reduce farm waste and air pollution from burning

• 100% School Attendance: No need to miss school during periods anymore
• Improved Academic Performance: Better concentration and focus
• Increased Confidence: No fear of leaks or embarrassment
• Health Safety: Natural, antimicrobial materials reduce risk of infection

• Reliable Protection: 8-12 hours of leak-free, comfortable protection
• Cost-Effective: Made locally so less costly prices
• Nature Friendly Choice: Biodegradable packaging is consistent with nature
• Local Economy Support: Each purchase supports Nigerian farmers and workers

• Employment Generation: Local processing units create employment
• Less Waste: Creating value out of agricultural waste
• Health Education: Our distribution includes menstrual health education
• Economic Multiplier: Money stays in local communities

Kemi's Story: Hasn't lost a single day of school in 6 months since getting our starter pack. She now trains other girls on how to manage periods.

Sarah's Story: Won the debate competition at her school after gaining confidence through our program. She says she no longer fears standing up and speaking.

Mrs. Adaora's Story: A teacher who now carries emergency pads in her desk drawer. She's seen dramatic improvements in the attendance of her female students.

I will be happy to send any one samples if you are a serious partner or distributor. Here's what we can offer:

• 3 biodegradable disposable pads (various sizes)
• 1 reusable cloth pad with instructions on how to care for it
• Menstrual hygiene educational materials
• Bulk price information for schools/NGOs

You can Contact them

my niece with her pad pack

Email: [email protected]

For Bulk Orders

• Schools: Special rates for schools
• NGOs: Partnership schemes available
• People: Individual starter kits for personal use or gift-giving

Why Today Matters

Terraverde Pads

Today is World Menstrual Hygiene Day, but to me, every day is ensuring that girls like Blessing never again have to make a choice between their education and their periods.

We're not selling pads. We're selling dignity, confidence, and the right to education without disruption.

Since I am posting this here on this platform, you probably care about real solutions to real problems. This is my take. This is how I'm trying to make the world a better place, pad by pad.

Every pad purchased keeps a girl in school. Every conversation started shatters a harmful taboo.

Terraverde Pads

I will be posting this advert at least 2 times a week.