‘Hubi & Vinciance Foundation’ is a Belgian organization of volunteers with several local employees active in Benin. They want to realize the dream of Hubi Adriaens and Vinciane Van Assche: “A better world for everyone”. The foundation strives for integral development and focuses on the problem of malnutrition through three major pillars: education, health care and entrepreneurship with a focus on agriculture and food supply. 

For more info, check their website: https://hubi-vinciane.be/

In Benin, there is a lack of access to affordable and effective products to manage menstrual hygiene. This inflicts school absenteeism of girls during their menstruation and unhygienic alternatives can cause vaginal infections. By producing reusable, sanitary pads from banana fibers, which is an unused byproduct of banana plantations, girls can get access to affordable menstrual products. This can result in better health and wellbeing, and the reusability is also beneficial to the environment.

Besides this, there is a lack of stable jobs which results in poverty. By producing and selling these banana pads jobs are created for vulnerable women. 

The preparatory work consists of:

-Preparing a business plan

-Developing the production process of the banana pads

-Collaborating with the Beninese employers of the foundation to connect with local schools and organizations focusing on improving the wellbeing of girls and women

-Conducting market research: search for information about local habits concerning menstruation, willingness to pay for the product, how to (culturally appropriate) advertise and sell the pads…

The on-site work contains:

-Elaborating the business plan  

-Organizing workshops on how to make and use the banana pads

-Assisting women in the production and marketing of the pads 

Hubi & Vinciane was a project partner of AFD in 2021-2022 as well. Therefore, the project students build on what their predecessors have achieved.