What once seemed impossible is now a reality: we sold over 227,000 go! pads in 2016. Our first full year of sales serves as evidence that women and girls want go! pads, which is a big hurdle, since 42% of start-up businesses fail because of lack of demand for their products.
You are propelling a new business model for social change that will outlast any attempts to reach basic needs through charity alone. Thanks for taking this journey with us.
SHE Sells Out
Expanding access to pads to women and girls living on less than $2 a day is not an easy target. So how did we sell over 227,000 pads in 2016?
Schools
Our menstrual hygiene teacher trainings formed connections with schools, which now purchase go! pads for their students.
Direct Sales
We reached girls where they are by selling in kiosks and directly to girls at events like Menstrual Hygiene Day.
NGOs
NGOs chose to buy go! pads after getting to know us as leaders in health and education sector working groups.
SHE's Industrial Revolution
The correct answer is 0%. Our Phase 1 machinery eliminated several time consuming steps such as washing and drying. The result? Eliminated water usage, a 20% increase in production rates, and drastically reduced electricity usage. When we roll out the next phases of our machinery updates, it will increase our production rates by ten times.
What was the highlight of your 2016?
Flora, Research & Marketing Associate
"We created so many great marketing materials this year. We put educational posters up in schools that prompted girls to request go! pads in kiosks near them."
Jeannette, Health and Hygiene Manager
“We reached at least 3535 people with our MHM education through teacher training, MHM day and trainings at different girls camps organized by some of our partners.”
Eric, Production Manager
“We developed more efficient technology that uses fewer resources, including eliminating water from our production process. In April, we decreased electricity costs by 78%.”
OUR SUPPORTERS
We received the support of over 500 individual investors. Why are so many people like you investing in SHE?
We also received critical institutional support from these partners:
The Envelope, Please
SHE was recognized by global business and tech leaders for our innovation approach.
CNBC
Why this Harvard grad has spent a decade making maxi pads out of banana fibers
Wired
The Next Big Idea May Be Growing Far From Silicon Valley
Euromonitor
Banana Pads in Rwanda: Interview with Elizabeth Scharpf, CEO of Sustainable Health Enterprises
Huffington Post
Day Of The Girl: A Worldwide Reminder That Gender Parity Awaits
Hygienix Innovation Award
SHE won an innovation award at the annual Hygienix Conference for absorbent products, beating industry giants like the makers of Kotex.
Every Woman Every Child
SHE was invited to a high-level United Nations panel for our work using technology to improve women’s health alongside leaders such as Huawei and the President of Ghana.
Next Stop: Expansion
You’ve helped us get this far, and the steadfast support of investors like you is why over 11,000 women and girls have access to game-changing go! pads. So what does 2017 have in store?
- We’re stepping up our production process. We will finish our planned updates to our production process with Johnson and Johnson- increasing our capacity to 10,000 pads per day.
- We will grow our distribution channels to expand access to more girls in rural areas. By the end of 2017, we aim to sell nearly half a million pads!
- It’s global expansion time! SHE is seeking highly aligned partners with whom we can replicate SHE28 in East Africa and Southeast Asia in 2017.
How can you accelerate the momentous impact we have planned in the next year?