Managing menstrual cycles is not as easy as it seems. Attempts have been made to provide a service in that direction, so far to no avail.
A true Ghanaian company has however blazed the trail since 1980 in manufacturing Sanitary Pads/ Feminine Hygiene Towels with the founder Sara Galloway at the throttle.
The vision of the company was set out to provide each female in Ghana with a safe and healthy alternative to manage their menstrual cycles irrespective of background and social status.
The view of the company is that sanitary pads are a necessity and not a luxury and should be affordable to all.
Through their many organized events and educational tours throughout Ghana, the main theme which was placed with crucial importance was that of safe and healthy products.
“The importance of knowing what makes up the sanitary pad we use cannot be undermined. Knowing what we use and having the ability to make an informed decision is the difference between a healthy life and a potentially unhealthy future.” says the MD of Fay International Ltd, Ms Jeanine Hage-Ali.
Fay International Ltd has been consistently providing girls and women with sanitary pads for over 39 years and as such has become a household name. Many healthy babies have been born to mothers who have been recommended the best sanitary pads/ towels option on the West African market.
With a powerful driving force behind the scenes, this intimate family ran company is actively giving back to Ghana in more ways than meets the eye. Yes, they are employing a majority female workforce. Yes, they promote female empowerment by establishing intra-community entrepreneurship with small scale business initiatives for women resulting in financial independence. Yes, they promote equal opportunities employment schemes. Yes, they are adamant about keeping the environmental footprint low by prioritizing the use of natural elements in their products. Their latest product is a revolutionary sanitary pad that incorporates the use of activated bamboo charcoal technology. Yes, they are vigilant towards ecological conservation.
“For every one tree felled, two are planted in its place. We only have one earth and taking care of it after it gives us our needed materials, is an important step to balancing the harmony in nature. We can all work together to ensure our interaction with Mother Earth is a positive one.”, said Fay International Ltd.’s Business Operations Director, Mr. Chadi Hage-Ali.
Their CSR activities are impressively spread out as they focus on disadvantaged communities and generally inaccessible areas of the country to share information on positive menstrual hygiene management, sexual reproductive health and positive general hygiene practices. Information which is taken for granted as common knowledge is surprisingly anything but that as per our findings. Care givers who are not in possession of this knowledge are not able to pass it on to their trustees and as such the vacuum of miseducation continues.
Fay International Ltd has collaborated with many domestic and international NGOs and international organizations to increase the audience who can benefit from the information they share.
In recent times, the importance of education on positive healthcare has become even more necessary than before, as there are a number of substandard imports which are widely available in the marketplaces. Cheaper alternatives end up being more costly, as the cost of treatment is expensive. These conditions are easily avoidable if the appropriate educational information is made available. At times the cost to one’s health is far greater than one might be willing to pay. In the most severe cases, cancers are likely to develop over a sustained period of usage of substandard products as these contain dioxins, a by-product of petrochemicals. Top sheets such as dry-weave and gauze are potential primary contributors to these sinister ailments. Dry-weave is being made from plastic sources and gauze being perforated, allowing for particles to dislodge and end up attaching to the inner linings of a woman’s reproductive anatomy.
Through all our observations, the impact that Fay International Ltd has made to many communities is evident, either through the accessibility of their products throughout the country’s marketplaces, pharmacies, mother cares and supermarkets or through their interactive educational campaigns. They tirelessly endeavor to provide the female population of Ghana and beyond with safe healthy and affordable products.
As for each sale, a percentage of the proceeds go towards their fund to donate sanitary products to various communities across Ghana and to keep our girls in school.
In conclusion, Fay International Ltd is a true beacon of Ghanaian excellence and should be lauded as such. Their motto is Your Health is Our Love and they mean that in the utmost capacity.
A Special Report