Ghana - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Biocare sanitary pad is a low cost, eco-friendly and sustainable sanitary pad using banana/plantain pseudo stem , bamboo fiber with the addition of ginger to reduce inflammations which may cause depression, fight germs or infections during menstruation.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Biocare company limited is the sole applicant for the sole applicant for this project. The main idea of this project is to produce degradable, healthy and clean sanitary pads and also educate marginalized girls in both rural and urban sectors about Menstrual hygiene and poverty. Biocare sanitary pad is a hybrid pad produced by myself and 7 students from science, engineering and marketing department ( CCTU). Biocare sanitary pad is affordable and eco-friendly menstrual hygiene products made using various plant-based and organic products, with no chemicals or harmful materials to women’s health and will decompose way faster than the conventional ones. Biocare sanitary pad is a thick, high-absorbent feminine care product that absorbs blood( heavy flow, light flow and medium flow) into its moisture lock layers. It is leakage free, odorless, aesthetic in appearance, stable, comfortable to wear and hygenic. Biocare sanitary pad is 100% biodegradable and therefore environmentally friendly.

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

Due to lack of affordable menstrual products, stigmatization and cultural belief surrounding menstrual education in rural areas of ghana, school girls miss on average 5 days of school every month, which is the root caused of gender inequality, child and early forced marriage. •Access to quality, inexpensive, disposable, biodegradable pads does not currently exist . •After harvest, almost 60% of banana biomass is left as waste. Worldwide, about 114.08 million metric tons of banana waste-loss are produced, leading to environmental problems such as the excessive emission of greenhouse gases. •Lack of employment .

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

Biocare is affordable, chemicals free, comfortable, high absorbance, and has an antimicrobial and anti- inflammatory properties which helps to reduce skin rashes, bad odor and menstrual cramp because it contains gingerol which gives the pads its minty flavor.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Girls and woman of menstruating age in both urban and rural areas in Ghana.

01.05 When was your company established?

2021-05-15

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

No

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

7

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

6

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

Isabella Allotey is a level 300 student of food science and post harvest technology who has over two years experience in researching. Cosmos Dawutey is a level 400 student from the mechanical engineering department who has knowledge and experience in designing machines. Faustina Quarshie and Princella Owusu Ansah are from the accounting and computing department , they both has over one year experience in financial services. Myself, am the marketing strategist, I have a experience and skills in selling of products for over 6 years. I am good in identifying problems in the market and finding solutions to them. Sarah Mensah , a level 200 Purchasing and supply management student helps me with the Martketing strategies. We have Mentor’s who are helping the project to succeed. Dr Maurice Apaliya, Dr Sandra Kaburi, Madam Gifty Serwaa Otoo etc.

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

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

b) Materials (agriculture, fishing, chemical products, construction materials, containers and packaging, metals and mining, paper and forest products)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

Biocare sanitary pad is a locally sourced product which is affordable. In view of that it is going to accessible to all girls and women in Ghana. With this , is also going to create job opportunities for most women because the project is 70% manual and 30% machinery. Therefore we will employ more women in the production unity and the promotion and marketing sector. This is also going to increase the income for farmers.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

Biocare sanitary pads has an antimicrobial and anti- inflammatory properties which helps to reduce skin rashes, bad odor and menstrual cramp, it contains gingerol which gives the pads its minty flavor.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Biocare company limited will ensure proper education on menstrual hygiene management and sanitation, donating to underprivileged girls who drop out from school during their period in most of the schools in the rural areas.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Employing of women in the manufacturing and the distribution units.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

As compared to reusable sanitary pads which needs to be washed before using, biocare is a biodegradable and it will ensure that clean water will be managed every day. Also biocare company limited is ensuring good health for all women and girls.

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

Biocare company limited will provide decent work for all women and will promote the economic growth by employing more women

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

We will be having an innovative infrastructure which will help the production process without causing any harm to the environment and the land.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

2

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

3

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

6

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

Increasing income for farmers, suppliers, distributors, processors to ensure smooth production patterns and responsible consumptions . Also , using of efficient electrical equipment for production.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Reducing plastic waste and carbon emissions through burning of non- degradable sanitary pads.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

Biocare sanitary pads is a locally sourced product with has no harm on the land . Biocare sanitary Pads has given banana/plantain stem value, which hitherto was agricultural waste. Chemical fertilizer is being replaced with organic manure from the fibre extraction waste to ensure long term environmental and soil sustainability for the general welfare of the communities involved. It also promote environmental sustainability through the cultivation of nitrogen fixing plants to ensure long term fertility of the soil, etc.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

5

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

Biocare company will be having partnerships with NGO’s and other sanitary pad processing companies such as Feytex company limited.

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

3

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

5

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

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

2

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

2

06.08 Justification for my startup

In Ghana, there is only one company/ foundation who produce biodegradable sanitary pads from plantain pseudostem in Ashanti region of Ghana and is not known to women/ girls in other regions. Our product is an innovative and unique product that is made from plantain fiber, bamboo fiber and and gingerol which has so many health benefit as compared to the one which is not popularly known on the market. From our feasibility analysis, we found out that about 85% of the women in central, western and eastern are interested in our product.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Our main competitor is RECFAM foundation which produces biodegradable sanitary pads from only plantain pseudostem, whiles biocare is made from plantain pseudostem, bamboo fiber, and gingerol. The uniqueness in our product as compared to RECFAM is the anti microbial properties which help to reduce infections, the fluffy nature of the pad, the natural minty flavor from gingerol which also helps to reduce cramps and menstrual odor. No chemicals was used during digestion of the fiber into cotton. It has high absorbency.

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

I am the founder of a ladies club which intends to educate and train females on how to become an entrepreneur .