Our Mission
Our Mission
To provide high-quality, eco-friendly menstrual care products while promoting menstrual liberation and maximum sustainability.
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Our Vision
Our Vision
To keep indigent girls in school, empower individuals through menstrual liberation and lead the way in sustainable menstrual care products.
The Zenith Africa Story
The Zenith Africa Story
Zenith Africa was founded by Akhona Maxwell Mdawe, a young man raised in the dusty streets of the Cape Flats. Raised in a women-led household, he got to witness, first-hand, the hardships that women go through with the harsh reality of raising a family without the support of a male figure.
After learning about the alarming numbers of how many girls are missing school due to a lack of menstrual pads, Akhona set out to find more affordable alternatives to keep girls in school. When COVID-19 hit SA, a lot of indigent women and girls were left helpless. With looting and all other forms of chaos, at an all-time high, shortages of essentials and basic necessities was their biggest challenge.
The journey to making an impactful change has led Akhona to create Shero Pads. Shero Pads offer a unique range of reusable pads that are affordable and accessible. Also under development is a range of eco-friendly disposable pads made with banana fibre. The focus is on utilising natural, eco-friendly and sustainable materials. The pads are to be sold in single units or value packs to help make them as affordable as possible. The goal is to help reduce landfill, create opportunities for employment, reduce deforestation and the use of timber pulp. Every woman and girl deserve to have a hygienic and dignified menstrual experience!
In South Africa, 3 in 10 girls miss school because of their menstrual cycle. Shero Pads is aimed at empowering women and girls through affordable sanitary and menstrual hygiene solutions.
Lear more this issue: https://www.polity.org.za/article/do-3-in-10-girls-in-south-africa-miss-school-because-they-lack-sanitary-pads-ghost-stat-widely-cited-2021-08-23
THE TEAM
THE TEAM
Akhona Mdawe
Akhona Mdawe
Founder & Creative Director
Creative & Strategic Leadership
Technical & Sales Experience
Youth & Community Development Experience
Nosisa Mhlathi
Nosisa Mhlathi
Fundraising
& Resources Manager
9+ years Experience as Social Activist, Change-maker
Youth & Community Development Experience
Viwe Bonga
Viwe Bonga
Community Developer
& Youth Empowerment Agent
Social Activist, Change-maker
Youth & Community Development Experience
Personal Transformation and Strategic Planning Workshop
As much as our journey with Fetola has ended, Zenith Africa was blessed with the opportunity to take part in the CEA (Circular Economy Accelerator - Personal Transformation and Strategic Planning) Workshop. The experience was amazing and insightful. It comes as an added benefit in propelling us to reach our well-intended goal to empower women and girls through affordable sanitary solutions. We are one step closer to making sanitary pads available and affordable for all women, equally.
We do not have to play catch up with the rest of the world. We are capable and we will. Here is to new possibilities, and a big thank you to Fetola SA.
Use the link to learn more: https://fetola.co.za/programmes/cea/
Biodiversity Partners Programme (BIPP)
We were honoured to be part of a group of 25 PIONEERS from Southern Africa who had the opportunity to join a transformative training program for the realization of their pro-nature projects. The was to gather numerous change-makers who create solutions to global and local challenges: their projects mitigate climate change effects, rebalance the ecosystems against the invasive species, rethink the exploitation of natural ressources, promote preservation values, reinvent tourism, banking or agricultural practices.
Use the link to learn more: https://www.biodiversitypartnersprogram.com/editions/2022
Standard Bank & Classic Oriental Consultancy Accelerator Programme
We were honoured to participate and complete the SBSA and COC programme. On the 3rd of May 2023, Classic Oriental Consultancy (COC) and Standard Bank South Africa (SBSA), launched the Standard Bank Western Cape Business Accelerator Program at Woodstock Bandwidth Barn, in Cape Town. The 12 Week Accelerator Programme help 56 local businesses from Cape Town to excel beyond their current success level, gain access to more markets, grow their customer base, and as a result, create more employment opportunities that contribute to the economic growth of our country.
It is through this programme that we were able to launch our reusable pads.
Use the link to learn more: https://classicoriental.co.za/standard-bank-12-week-accelerator-programme-launch-in-cape-town-western-cape/
Zenith Africa x Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative Collaboration
The objective was to find solutions on how Zenith Africa can help solve the menstrual needs of women and girls, where socio-cultural and economics factors hinder access to sanitary pads.
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