Ghanaian students make sanitary pads out of banana stems

Miss Otoo-Quayson said, “According to statistics about 95% of girls in rural areas miss classes during this period and we thought to do something about this,”

Conferring to the young ladies aside from the sanitary pads from the west being expensive, they are also harmful to the reproductive organs. They said these sanitary pads are made out of plastic, dioxin (cellulose gel) and a little cotton.

Banana stem sanitary pad Pulse Ghana

Plastics found in sanitary pads are known to complicate embryonic development resulting in organ damage aside polluting the environment. Also, dioxin is listed by the WHO as a highly toxic environmental pollutant and has been linked to immune system damage and cancer.

Miss Otoo-Quayson and Matilda Sampong (KNUST students) Pulse Ghana

Therefore, the new sanitary pads made from banana stems is very welcomed because not only is it environmental-safe alternative but it is also cheaper compared to conventional sanitary pads. According to the duo, these new sanitary pads are priced at just 2 cedis per pack which is comparably cheaper than conventional sanitary pads sold at 5 cedis per pack.