Feminine Hygiene In East Africa

The feminine hygiene category is one of the key consumer categories outside food. This category touches almost every household amongst East Africans, and indeed the world.

Consumers enter this category at the age of 13 and remain locked in it for at least 30 - 40 years. Interestingly, they may not fully exit and remain locked for life with daily use products like panty liners.

Products in this category take various forms, or sub-categories - from sanitary pads, tampons, panty liners, reusable fabric, toilet tissue paper and cotton wool. Each of these forms is further split into the specific preferences of the users depending on the menstrual flow, stage in menstruation cycle, level of discreetness, perception of desired protection etc.

Amongst the African communities and many other societies across the world, menstruation is a highly discrete subject, and in most cases is treated as a taboo subject. In the past, menstruating women were segregated, and would not even appear in front of men while on their period. Rather than build the confidence and pride of womanhood, being on her periods greatly stripped a woman of her dignity. These are some of the reasons why many a research have been commissioned…