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Sanitary towels aren’t women issues: male teen who partnered with classmate to create pad brand

By February 7, 2023May 10th, 2023No Comments

While most of the class of 2022 focused on getting through their matric year and preparing for life post-grade 12, two ambitious teens had other plans in mind.

Neo Cholo and Goitseone Maboe were hard at work setting up Mosetsana Feminine, which manufactures and sells sanitary pads to locals at an affordable price.

The duo, currently first-year students at the University of Johannesburg and Boston college, shared their journey with TimesLIVE.

Cholo, 18, said for him partnering with another teen was about “changing the narrative” and being “change makers” when it came to buying sanitary pads.

“We saw a need [for a] brand that is for local people and resonates with [them]. Us coming together was for equality. We wanted people to realise, especially boys, that pads are not just for females … we also play a part as [men] because we buy them for our female loved ones.

“We wanted to change the narrative, we want to be the changemakers,” he added.

For Maboe, 17, the inspiration was more personal, with the first-year business management student saying her first experience with menstruation revealed the lack of information available to young girls in a similar situation.

“I founded Mosetsana because I realised that young girls are struggling to access affordable sanitary pads and a lot of young girls aren’t well informed about menstrual [cycles] and hygiene around it.

“I highly believe in teamwork so when I was … thinking of who I can involve, Neo became the number one [option],” she explained.

The Brits resident reached out to Cholo, from Mamelodi, on social media with her idea as the latter had inspired her because of his work with fellow teens.

The fact that Cholo is a man also helped, according to Maboe, as the youngster wanted to involve someone of the opposite sex because of the latter’s ignorance on such topics.

The duo then decided to come together and pool their limited funds, along with donations from their families, and set up a company that makes and distributes its own pads.
The name of the company comes from the Setswana word meaning a girl.

While they roped in a manufacturer to make the sanitary pads, the design and packaging was done by them.

“Goitseone [as a woman] she gave us all the perspective [on the pad specifications] while I focused on branding,” he said.

For Maboe it was all about creating a product that can suit all women.

“We just want every [woman] to feel comfortable wearing our pads … [hence] we made sure that the pad … has no irritation,” she said.

The result is a vibrantly coloured pink and black box, with the latter representing femininity and the former an ode to black entrepreneurs.

Speaking of future plans, Cholo said the duo is planning to expand their range to offer tampons and pantyliners.

This while they continue their tertiary studies. Cholo is doing his first year of a BA degree in politics, business and technology at UJ while Maboe is doing her year-long course at Boston college. She then plans to study animal husbandry and agriculture.

Mosetsana pads are available online and on-demand nationwide.

First published at https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-02-07-sanitary-towels-arent-women-issues-male-teen-who-partnered-with-classmate-to-create-pad-brand/

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