Tanzania - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

My project is all about Sustainable menstruation with banana fiber pads. Meaning that we are converting agricultural waste into a healthy products.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Fiber fusion project aims to revolutionize the menstrual hygiene industry by utilizing banana fibers as a sustainable alternative to traditional synthetic materials. The primary goal is to develop a highly absorbent and eco friendly menstrual pads using banana fibers. These pads aim to provide comfort, absorbency and biodegradability compared to conventional pads. The raw materials are sourced from agricultural waste such as banana stems which are abundant in regions where banana are grown.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

The problem i'm trying to solve is scarcity of sanitary pads to most of women and girls by producing eco friendly and affordable sanitary pads. This inturn results into improvements in number of school attendants to both women and girls.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

The major benefits includes comfortability to most of the users basing on the fact that banana fiber pads are soft and gentle on the skin, breathability as they allow air circulation and reduce moisture buildup.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

The target beneficiaries are our families and community in general but specific to women. Because most of girls especially those found in villages can't afford a better health service mostly during Their menstruation cycle. So initiated this project to relieve them from this problem and ensure they enjoy sustainable menstruation cycle with banana fiber pads.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-05-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

I have Several partners including, HUSSEIN MOHAMMED, WAZIRI KIOBYA, TATU LIPUMBA, SIFA KARONGO,

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

I have two female partners among the other partners , namely TATU LIPUMBA and SIFA KORONGO

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

One of the three partner has got skills and experience in Customer relationships and the other two has got experience on research and development.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

http://www.Instagram.com/_egenematic

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

f) Healthcare (healthcare equipment and services)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

My project will earn me a living, together my team who could either be drivers, engineers , accountants and office attendants. My also provide an opportunity for earning income to garbage collectors around the streets who used to collect garbage waste from different waste collection sites. This justify no poverty goal

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

My project aims at enhancing zero hunger through ways like the diversified income stream among the farmers meaning that farmers can now sell both banana fruits and banana fiber to earn additional income from their activities .

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Yes, my project contribute to good health and well being because banana fiber pads are biodegradable, reducing the environmental pollution associated with plastic-based sanitary products, also banana fiber pads are made free from chemicals there by reducing chemical exposure to most of women and girls.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

By, Improving School Attendance: By providing affordable and eco-friendly sanitary pads, the project can help reduce absenteeism by increasing the number of school attendants among girls who might miss school during their menstrual cycles due to lack of access to sanitary products.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

yes, because all men and women have an opportunity to work with us without any discrimination relating to either religion or tribe.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Because, traditional sanitary pads often contain plastic and other non-biodegradable materials that contribute to waste and pollution. Banana fiber pads are biodegradable and compostable, reducing landfill waste and environmental pollution.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

The waste material from banana plants, after extracting the fibers, can be used to produce biogas. This biogas can provide a renewable energy source for powering the production facility or local communities.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

My project contribute to decent work and economic growth through employment opportunities offered to both women and men at different areas on production facilities. This provide a chance for both women and men to earn a living and improve their financial status .

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

By, Developing sanitary pads from banana fiber is an example of innovative use of natural and agricultural byproducts. This provides a sustainable alternative to traditional pads but also encourages the exploration of other natural fibers for various industrial applications.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

By producing sustainable sanitary products allows girls to attend school consistently and women to participate fully in economic activities. This helps bridge the gender gap in education and employment, contributing to greater gender equality.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

My project contribute into sustainable cities and communities by producing banana fiber pads. This means that it reduce the environmental impact associated with traditional plastic-based sanitary products. This inturn minimizes waste and pollution in cities and communities, contributing to cleaner and more sustainable environments.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

In summary, transforming banana fiber into sanitary pads supports responsible consumption and production by utilizing agricultural byproducts, reducing non-biodegradable waste, promoting sustainable manufacturing, encouraging eco-friendly consumer choices.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

In summary, When producing sanitary pads locally reduces the carbon emissions like greenhouses. This localized production model supports climate action by minimizing the carbon footprint of distribution.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

By offering biodegradable banana fiber pads made from natural banana fiber, the project reduce the demand of traditional pads thereby reducing a significant threats to aquatic life in ecosystems.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

By converting banana stems and other byproducts into value added materials for menstrual pads, the project reduces the amount of organic waste sent to landfills thereby minimizing pollution.

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

My project aims at ensuring peace justice and strong institutions throughout fair treatment of workers, equitable distribution of resources among stakeholders and strong collaboration with different parties involved in resolving conflicts as well as upholding ethical standards throughout the production process.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

My project aims at ensuring partnership for the goals by collaborating with various stakeholders including local governments agencies, NGO's and businesses. By working together with these partners we can share expertise, resources and networks to achieve a common objective related to sustainable economic development.

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

Yes, my project is Unique and innovative in the following ways the such as it utilizes agricultural waste especially banana fiber and stems into valuable reources and increases the maximum use of natural materials and the innovations in project design which represents innovative approach within the feminine hygiene industry which demonstrate creativity in finding alternative material that are absorbent and comfortatble while also creating positive impact in our society by providing affordable and sustainable menstrual pads to both women and girls.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

From my project, the main potential competitors might include other sustainable sanitary pad companies that focus on producing eco friendly pads foem bamboo or organic cotton , Upcycling Companies that focuses on upcycling agricultural waste into various product of higher value or quality than the origin. I'm about to outstand my competitors basing on the number of strategies including Unique selling price, Quality and performance in terms of comfort, absorbency and breathability of my sanitary pads, Environmental impact as well as marketing and branding without forgetting Distribution channels and community engagement.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

yes, by providing a courage to them that they can bring an idea into reality.