Johannesburg – A young resident from the Alexandra township in Gauteng expressed concern over the high prices of sanitary pads in South Africa which spurred her on to turn this problem into a budding low-cost sanitary pad business.
According to Monica Maubane, age serves as a vital starring role in life, and she is keen to stand out as a charismatic entrepreneur before reaching 30.
“For me to start this venture is to reach out to underprivileged women, who cannot afford sanitary pads, especially young woman as they use clothes as an alternative to sanitary pads, which is unhealthy,” said the 21-year-old Rise & Shine founder.
In her firm words, she says she wants to be a solution in people’s lives.
Embarking on this journey, Maubane became the founder of Rise & Shine, an underrated company that strives for the provision of women’s dignity and health for the underprivileged.
She founded the business this year, and she says the business is doing well in the market.
“I have been working on this project since 2020, and finally registered and launched my business during the harsh times of the pandemic,” she says
Maubane says her motivation to go down this path was driven by the sadness she felt after seeing how some members of society live with unhealthiness due to the insufficiency of having to buy sanitary pads.
“Women and young girls do not have access to buy them due to the price range,” she says.
“The fight is against vaginal infections and cervical cancer and seeing my fellows’ using tissues and harsh clothing items as alternatives is very heartbreaking,” says Monica.
“This is where I came to the point of establishing Rise & Shine primarily to help those who cannot afford the pads,” she adds.
Maubane says she always enjoyed buying towels in bulk and giving them to needy girls in her area.
Speaking about the exclusiveness of her brand from others, Maubane says her products has a unique combination of features and functionality that makes her product stand out as highly-quality and soft.
“It has a breathable bottom sheet, and they’re 100% cotton, rash-free, chlorine-free, (no Fragrances) and protects women from UTIs and yeast infections,” she says.
Currently, her package consists of eight pads with a price range of R8.00, and she is looking to increase the pads to nine, as she feels women deserve better.
The young promising businesswoman says she has engaged with several major retail stores, so her products hit the shelves.
“Yes, I approached several stores in the country, I pitched my idea and showcased my products, majority of these stores are delighted and have advised me to ensure I produce as more products so they can have a better offer for me,” expressed delightful Monica.
Monica comes from the Alexandra township, north-east of Johannesburg, and she currently studies Events Management at Skills Academy.
Sharing her word of advice for other women who wants to be in the same stream as hers, Monica says: “Be the change that the world is waiting for, you are worth it, the world is waiting for you to manifest and never settle for less.”
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