Malaika Textiles restores girls’ dignity with pads
The CEO of Malaika Textiles, Tebeni Albertina Maseko, has penetrated into the industry dominated by non-recyclable sanitary pads with washable and reusable ones with a quality life span of five years. Malaika Textile, sponsored by WildHearts, was founded in 2019 and is located in Mbombela. It boasts as a nationwide manufacturer, packager and distributor of these reusable sanitary pads, as well as three-layer facial masks and medical patient gowns and patient pyjamas.
She said she came up with the idea to manufacture reusable pads to help girls in rural areas and underprivileged households to not miss school and menstrual education. “They are made from five layers of padding, including an antimicrobial layer for hygiene purposes and an absorbing layer for heavy flow. One pack has five pads, which are to be washed after one use and reused in rotation during periods. They come in multiple colours and sizes and are practical for girls in rural schools with limited access to hygiene facilities. They can be used as a panty liner as well.”
She has built a clientele of corporations who became business partners. “These corporations purchase my bulk productions and I distribute it to the schools or organisations they identify. The company started operating in January 2020, and three months later, the lockdown was implemented and schools were closed. It was a scary moment, because we could not reach our target market. That is how we came into manufacturing the facial masks, because of the demand and to avoid the factory closing. It really helped create temporary employment for locals during that challenging time.”
Over the years, she has managed to permanently employ 11 local women, whom she also empowers with valuable training and entrepreneurial opportunities. She hopes to build more networks to distribute to the whole of Africa.
“The factory is SABS-compliant and awaits the SABS’s approval. I hope to have franchises in more locations. Another goal is to get the sanitary pads into supermarkets for more accessibility.”
Malaika Textiles’ reusable pads, facial masks and medical patient gowns are available for bulk purchases. However, the pads are available for single purchase at R180 per pack at the factory situated at Unit 6c Prime on the corner of the Old Pretoria Road and the R40 in Mbombela.
For more information and to place orders, contact Maseko on 082 330 9129 or at masekotebeni@gmail.com.