By the end of this year, no fewer than 47 million Ethiopian women will be of menstrual age. The market for hygiene pads is projected to grow by 10 percent annually, reaching up to 20 million dollars.
Menstrual hygiene is no longer a peripheral consumer issue but an element of national health, school attendance, and workforce participation. Experts warn that the failure to address supply chain bottlenecks and high costs impacts the daily lives of nearly half the population.
Luladay Abraham treats the arrival of her menstrual cycle less as a private inconvenience than as a monthly test of endurance. This situation highlights the pressures faced by women across Ethiopia.