Two students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana have showcased a recent breakthrough discovery after they successfully made sanitary pads from banana peels.
The two students who go by the names Emily Otoo- Quayson and Matilda Sapong are on the road solving a critical problem of the inability of young Ghanaian girls to purchase and use sanitary pads during their menstrual periods.
Several studies show that a large number of students skip school during their menstrual periods. It is reported that one out of every 10 young girls in Africa miss school during their periods due to their inability to purchase and use sanitary pads.
Some traditional folks also avoid the use of sanitary pads mainly because they claim they are not made from organic material.
However, Emily and Matilda have resorted to the use of cheap organic banana peels to produce sanitary pads which are safe and affordable.
Their discovery was on the bases that banana and plantain stems have proven to be very good absorbents which are used for diapers and pepper bags in the Western world. The innovation if capitalized upon will be of much value and importance to young Ghanaian girls especially those in the rural areas since the cost will be way lower than those produced from inorganic materials.
