“These menstrual health challenges require a market-based solution”

Kaleab Getaneh Zewelde in an interview with D+C

In Amharic, the word “mela” means “solution”. What solution does Mela for Her offer?

Mela for Her is dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls through access to affordable, sustainable menstrual health products and education, as well as employment opportunities. The company manufactures reusable sanitary pads and menstrual underwear. All products have been tested and well-received by Ethiopian women and girls. We also supply “dignity kits” containing menstrual products and hygiene essentials to vulnerable groups, such as refugees and displaced persons, in partnership with humanitarian organisations. Mela for Her is a women-led and women-centred enterprise, with more than 85 % of our team being female. 

What was the motivation behind starting Mela for Her?

In Ethiopia, an estimated 70 % of women and girls lack access to adequate menstrual products, and nearly half lack adequate knowledge about menstrual health and hygiene. This negatively affects girls’ education, women’s health, dignity and economic participation. My wife Imma Guixe, who has over 20 years’ experience working in the international development sector, started experimenting with making reusable sanitary pads at home using just a single sewing machine. Given my own experience of working in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector as well as my background in social entrepreneurship, we decided to transform this idea into a sustainable social enterprise. Since then, Mela for Her has grown into a collective effort, with many dedicated individuals, partners and supporters.

Why did you decide to start a business rather than trying to raise funds from international organisations?

We believed that the scale and complexity of the menstrual health challenges faced by women and girls in Ethiopia required a market-based solution rather than relying on donations and the distribution of free products. We established Mela for Her as a social enterprise that operates on sound business principles while prioritising social impact and affordability.

What new ideas or innovative approaches did you take, and what impact have they had?

We combine the distribution of menstrual products with menstrual health education, awareness-raising and political advocacy. One of our key innovations is our women-­to-women model, which actively engages women in product development, manufacturing, sales, marketing and distribution. For example, we’ve trained women freelancers to sell our products in rural areas and earn up to 15 % commission from each sale. Menstruation is often considered a taboo topic, particularly here. Our saleswomen go from door to door, speaking to women one-on-one in a safe setting. They raise awareness of menstrual health and explain how our products work. 

What were the biggest challenges in the early years of Mela for Her?

Mela for Her was founded in March 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Launching a manufacturing business in a period of lockdowns, travel restrictions and supply chain disruptions was extremely difficult. Another major challenge was securing sufficient and affordable financing for a social enterprise operating in a relatively new sector, as well as access to foreign currency. Some of the specialised raw materials we require had to be imported, and limited access to hard currency often delayed the procurement and production of our products. 

What helped you the most during those early stages?

One of our greatest strengths was the support we received from friends and professionals who believed in our vision and mission. As the company became operational, several individuals with expertise in manufacturing, social impact, gender and business development became actively involved and are now among the company’s co-founders and advisors. Among them Maria Eva Moll Moncada, founder of the UK-based fashion consultancy Maemaze, who played a key role in establishing our manufacturing systems and production processes. We also received financial and technical support from development organisations, including the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the development agency GIZ through the special initiative “Invest for Jobs” and Oxfam. In addition, the Ethiopian government’s policy of allowing duty-free import of raw materials for menstrual hygiene product manufacturers significantly reduced our production costs, which was particularly helpful during our early production efforts.

Where does Mela for Her stand today?

Mela for Her has grown from a small start-up into a well-­established social enterprise with 42 employees. We have supplied quality menstrual health products to over 350,000 women and girls across Ethiopia, engaged 179 female sales agents for last-mile distribution and helped to establish higher quality standards for reusable menstrual products in the country. Today, Mela for Her is a well-known brand with a scalable business model and a strong foundation for future growth.

Kaleab Getaneh Zewelde is the co-founder and CEO of Mela for Her.
kaleab.getaneh@melaforher.com