Teens determined to promote menstruation dignity
Their concern for girls and women who are unable to afford feminine hygiene products prompted two Tshwane teenagers, Goitseone Maboe (17) and
Neo Cholo (17), to launch Mosetsana Feminine in June 2022.
The company provides safe and affordable sanitary pads to the lower-income market. Mosetsana Feminine pads cost R13,
99. The teens hope that with Cholo’s involvement, it will send a message to other men that they should help ensure their loved
Fikiswa Fuxwana is one of the local people who can now provide for her family thanks to the construction of the Msikaba Bridge which forms part of the South African National Roads Agency’s N2 Wild Coast project.
“I started working here in 2020 as a general worker, I got promoted as a site clerk, my job includes making sure that plants have fuel”, said Fuxwana.
She added that before the construction of the bridge she struggled with employment opportunities.
“After receiving a job due to this construction my life changed. I am a breadwinner ones have access to sanitary pads so that they can carry on as usual when they are menstruating.
Maboe admits that entering the femine hygien market has its fair share of challenges, but is confident that they will be successful by remaining strategic and in my family. I am now able to provide them,” said Fuxwana.
The project has created over 446 job opportunities for community members that reside in the villages of Lambasi, Nkunzimbini which are in close proximity to the site. The local community has received jobs as general workers, safety administrators, and store dynamic.
“Through teamwork, we are determined to make our company a success.”
The team is planning to expand the Mosetsana Feminine range to include tampons and intimate washes. “We also want to launch a student desk in clerks.
The project is expected to connect the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
Local business people such as suppliers, service providers, and sub-contractors are also said to be benefiting from the R4 billion budget for the construction of the project.
Minister of Transport, different regions to address issues around feminine products and maybe even have a dignity drive, where students can get the products at a subsidised price,” she says.
Mosetsana Feminine pads are also approved by the South African Bureau of Standards.
Cholo is no stranger to entrepreneurship as he started his first business, African Neo Media, a public relations and marketing agency, at just 15 years-old. As a result, he was nominated as one of the three teenage entrepreneurs to represent Gauteng in the national leg of the Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) Annual Competition held in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022.
SAGE is an international non-profit organisation devoted to the development
Fikile Mbalula recently visited the Msikaba Bridge to assess progress made in the construction of the bridge.
“These kinds of projects must provide skills to the black underprivileged communities. Contractors must transfer skills to residents so that when the project is completed, rural communities can stand on their own,” said Minister Mbalula when of teenage entrepreneurs. Even though he didn’t win, Cholo used the platform to introduce Mosetsana Feminine to a wider audience. While at the finals held in Durban, they were advised to become members of Proudly South African, which Cholo says has boosted the credibility of their business.
He says he also realised that the youth are no longer waiting to reach 18 to work on their dreams. “We are interested in rebuilding the country and making it a success. Even as high schoolers, we create opportunities for ourselves so we can have a prosperous future.”
To purchase Mosetsana Feminine, visit www.mosetsanapads.co.za or place your order via WhatsApp on 067 982 1511 / 068 349
4162 addressing residents.
The bridge is expected to be completed in April 2024.
On completion, the N2 Wild Coast project will contribute to economic growth and job recovery initiatives by the government. The project will also ensure safe traveling and improved road safety for villages along the country's Wild Coast.