Friday, June 25, 2010

Kenyan business women!

I'm blessed to live in a neighborhood surrounded by many Kenyan business women. Some are college graduates, and some didn't even finish high school. The most impressive thing about these women is that they find a need in their community/country, and they take action. Most of these organizations are NGOs. One of my neighbor and a friend Betty motivates me in many ways. Here is Betty's story:
"Hidden away inside one of the busy malls in Eastleigh estate is a factory many don’t even know exists.It is a factory that is touching thousands of lives in a unique way.It's the brainchild of Beatrice Muta, who grew up being told that the menstrual cycle was regarded as taboo. As a result, many school going girls dropped out while others skipped school during that period. Most simply lost their self-esteem because of the stigma attached to this natural phenomenon.
The challenges she faced then prepared her for what she calls her ‘mission in life’. She is now committed to helping those who suffer in silence by building a factory that employs 86 women who take care of the needs of thousands of less fortunate young women. It's called Saidia Dada. A venture aimed at manufacturing cheap sanitary towels. Muta is no doubt changing lives by providing a solution to the discomfort of the monthly cycle that was and is still one of the major reasons for the high rate of school drop out amongst girls. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS) has certified the sanitary pads.At the cost of only 35 shillings for a pack of eight these are the cheapest pads in the market. Muta says 'Saidia Dada' makes up to 90-thousand pads a month. Muta says she feels she's making a difference in the lives of women especially among the poor and less fortunate." To learn more about Betty's organization, visit her website at:
Saidia Dada