Esther Oluwabunmi Olalude is the co-founder of Venille, a business that manufactures environmentally-friendly sanitary pads and sells them at an affordable rate to women in Nigeria. Its mission is to end period poverty while promoting plastic-free periods. 

ALLEVIATING PERIOD POVERTY

For years, women in Nigeria have faced a lack of access to sanitary products, clean water and private restrooms—made even more challenging when the pandemic sparked rising prices across the country. For school-aged girls, not having the tools to manage menstruation, nor a place to deal with it privately, often deters them from attending classes. Friends of Europe reports that one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their menstrual cycle, which could add up to 20% of school missed a year, according to an article by ActionAid. 

After witnessing this problem across Nigeria, Esther decided to help fix it. 

“I want girls and women to have the opportunity to go about their daily lives even during their periods,” says Esther. “I want to give them the opportunity to handle their periods safely and with dignity.” 

However, Esther doesn’t just want to provide women and girls with ordinary period products. A staunch lover of nature, she’s committed to making a product that won't add to the amount of plastic waste created by period products globally. 

VENILLE IN THE BECAUSE ACCELERATOR

Venille’s sanitary pads are made with banana fiber, organic cotton and cassava starch—all of which will naturally decary after six months. 

Esther first came across Because International when she entered the summer 2022 Impact Competition. Venille was selected as the winner, receiving $5,000 and a spot in the Because Accelerator. 

“[To win the competition,] it truly felt amazing, kind of unreal even,” shared Esther. “It was beautiful to know that my and my team’s hard work was paying off and that there are people who believe in our vision and are willing to support it.” 

With the funds, she plans to scale production and widen her team’s impact, and in the cohort Esther says that she hopes to “learn from and network with experienced individuals on how to effectively and efficiently set goals, scale my business and take Venille to the next level.”

The Because Accelerator is a completely free online training and mentorship program for entrepreneurs who have product-focused ideas and businesses in areas impacted by poverty.