As part of efforts aimed at empowering women in small communities, over 3,000 young girls and women in communities across the country have been empowered by Pad-Up Creations, manufacturers of reusable sanitary pads, baby diapers and undergarments, in the last three years, to elevate their standard of living.

This gesture, achieved through its innovative Micro Sales Agents programme, equips women with starter kits worth N55, 000 without down payments, enabling them to start their own small-scale businesses selling the company’s products within their neighbourhoods.

The CEO of Pad-Up Creations, Mrs Olivia Onyemaobi, said: “With the micro sales agents, we are empowering girls and women because we realised that many women, due to the economic situation in Nigeria, cannot even afford to support their families. We thought of what we can do on our own to contribute to the economic empowerment of young girls and women.

According to the company’s model, women and young girls receive the kits on credit, sell the products within their communities, remit payments to Pad-Up, and keep the profit margin. It was revealed that once they build trust through consistent sales and remittance, they receive more products, helping them grow their business and income steadily.

“The truth is, it’s not just about economic empowerment. There are communities where girls are struggling to access basic sanitary products. We use these women to bring our products closer to them. In places like Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, the demand for affordable, reusable diapers and sanitary pads is high.”

According to Onyemaobi, Pad-Up’s has come up with an approach to ensure that even women in IDP camps have the opportunity to run small businesses supplying these essential products, creating a cycle of empowerment and improved hygiene.

“The last time I went into one of the IDPs camps, they were bringing out their money to buy reusable baby diapers and they were asking when next we will come in. Who says they don’t want comfort or cleanliness.

“These are people that we actually want to empower. So imagine that we are able to give a woman there a starter kit and she can be selling to those women instead of them waiting for when we will come the next time,” Onyemaobi said.

The CEO recalled that a woman trapped in a violent marriage whose husband forbade from working, had through the initiative, discreetly run a business from home, gain financial independence, and support herself despite her restrictive situation.

“She’s not alone. Many women, especially in Northern Nigeria, are silently battling financial dependency due to marital or cultural constraints. This programme gives them a chance to stand on their own feet,” Onyemaobi said.

She added that the company has extended the programme to Ghana in February 2025. “At the Prampram Technical Institute, the company trained women and girls on menstrual hygiene, reproductive health, and business management. Additionally, 1,500 sanitary pads were donated free to schoolgirls to promote menstrual health awareness.

“In all, over 1,000 starter kits worth over N55m have been distributed on credit to women to kick-start their businesses. Pad-Up’s support doesn’t stop at product supply. Each woman is also trained in three key areas: character, capacity, and capital. They learn integrity in handling customers’ money, skills to manage and grow demand for products, and financial discipline to reinvest profits instead of spending all earnings on daily needs.

“While some agents default on payments or misuse the opportunity, many have succeeded spectacularly some earning as much as N600, 000 in turnover from humble beginnings.

“It’s not perfect. Some people fail, but we focus on those who succeed. When we see their success stories, it pushes us to keep going,” Onyemaobi said.

She added that through the Micro Sales Agents initiative, Pad-Up Creations Limited is demonstrating that sustainable business can go hand in hand with social impact. “As the company continues to expand across Nigeria and beyond, it remains committed to its core mission: empowering women, promoting menstrual health, and ensuring access to affordable, reusable hygiene products for every community.”