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Post by bluemingidiot on Sept 5, 2016 1:34:21 GMT
Divided up among a dozen people each would still be impressive. While working in Rwanda for the World Bank she learned that women weren't going to work when they had their periods because maxi pads cost more than a day's wages. She also realized that not having access to sanitary pads affected a woman's ability to take care of herself and get through her day, it affected her dignity. Scharpf acquired a single-minded focus: giving women and girls around the world access to maxi pads. She and her team would put anything they could find into a blender to turn it into a fiber. Then they'd let the material dry overnight and pour Coke on it to see how well it absorbed liquid. Through trial and error, Scharpf discovered that banana fibers are surprisingly absorbent — and banana trees are everywhere in Rwanda. She then developed a process to seal the banana fiber fluff into pads with old paper-making equipment. Her company, Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE) sells packs of pads for 70 cents, which is 35 percent less expensive than the next cheapest option. www.cnbc.com/2016/09/02/why-this-harvard-grad-has-spent-a-decade-making-maxi-pads-out-of-banana-fibers.html
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Post by themotherhen on Sept 5, 2016 22:15:01 GMT
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Post by Maura on Sept 6, 2016 1:11:04 GMT
Very pro active. I’m really impressed.
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Post by Callie on Sept 9, 2016 22:49:38 GMT
I worked on a project at a teen-girls' camp this summer to make washable sanitary pads for women in the same situation. They weren't much work. There are groups going around in Africa, teaching the women there to make them for themselves. Lots of good going on in this world.
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