The Umtshayelo Foundation (TUF) is a Cape Town-based non-profit organisation who founded the Komani social enterprise, as part of their mission to build supportive and positive communities. It was through their fieldwork in impoverished communities, that they realised how urgent and dire the need for menstrual education, care products and support is in South Africa. Moved by this need, TUF embarked on finding a sustainable solution for what can only be called a feminine dignity crisis, and the Komani social enterprise was established in 2018.
Komani sustainably produces reusable sanitary pads and distributes them in two ways. Firstly, the product kits are provided to school girls living in poverty, as part of a menstrual education and support programme. Komani pads are also sold to working women, who choose reusable pads as a more economical and environmentally friendly solution.
Komani, through its production and distribution efforts, economically empower a variety of previously unemployed women. All service providers receive training and skills development, to equip them to become part of our innovative social enterprise and work towards their own economic sustainability.
Our vision is firstly to liberate women by freeing them from the dignity crisis they face when left without sanitary protection. We then go further, to empower women through education and skills development, and finally we help women to become financially self-sustainable through economic innovation.
For more information on Komani or the Umtshayelo Foundation, contact us
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Komani was recently awarded a social innovation accolade by Community Chest in Cape Town.
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