Sew Change — Women's Income Through Reusable Pad Manufacturing

One Program That Earns Income for Women and Keeps Girls in School

Menstrual poverty and women's economic exclusion are not separate problems — they are the same problem, viewed from two angles. In rural western Uganda, girls miss school because their families cannot afford pads. And those same families struggle because women have few opportunities to generate independent income. HAFT's reusable pad manufacturing program addresses both at once.

We are currently training women across seven districts to produce reusable sanitary pads — creating livelihoods for mothers while ending menstrual poverty for daughters.

The Double Crisis This Program Addresses

Every month in Western Uganda:

• Thousands of schoolgirls miss class because they have no menstrual products
• Women in rural communities have limited access to formal employment or stable income
• Families spend what little they have on disposable pads that are used once and discarded
• The money spent on single-use products leaves the community — it does not circulate, create jobs, or build local capacity

A reusable pad changes all of this. It lasts up to two years, eliminating the recurring cost. And when it is made locally by a trained community woman, it creates employment, builds skills, and keeps resources within the community.

How the Program Works

Skills Training for Women Producers

We provide a structured training program that teaches women to cut, sew, and quality-test reusable sanitary pads using locally available cotton and flannel fabrics. No prior sewing experience is required — we start from the beginning and build practical, income-generating skills.

Startup Equipment and Materials

Your donation funds sewing machines, fabric, thread, and other startup materials. Each trained woman receives what she needs to begin production immediately after completing training.

Community Sales and Free Distribution

Trained women sell their pads at affordable, subsidized prices within their communities — generating income. A portion of every production run is donated free to schoolgirls who cannot afford even a subsidized price. The program is designed to be self-sustaining while maintaining a social mission.

"Before this training, I had no income of my own. Now I earn enough to pay my children's school fees and still have something left over. And I know that the pads I make are keeping girls like my daughter in school. That is the best feeling."
— Harriet, trained pad producer, Fort Portal

How Your Donation Builds Sustainable Change

• $30 — covers the fabric and materials for one woman's first month of pad production
• $100 — funds one woman through the complete skills training program
• $300 — provides a sewing machine and full startup kit for one community producer
• $600 — establishes a complete production unit, training three women and generating 150+ pad kits in the first month

A Model Built for Sustainability

Unlike programs that create dependency on continuous external supply, this model builds local capacity. Once women are trained and equipped, they sustain their own production, generate their own income, and manage their own distribution. HAFT's role shifts from provider to partner.

We are currently working with over 120 trained women producers across Kabarole and Fort Portal. The goal is to expand to every district we serve — creating a network of community enterprises that solve menstrual poverty from within.

Your investment today creates income for a mother, dignity for a daughter, and a community that solves its own problems. Donate now and help us grow this model across Uganda.