In sub-Saharan Africa, one in five girls makes it to secondary school, and the onset of puberty and menstruation corresponds directly with the drop in schoolgirl retention and completion. Without access to affordable sanitary protection, millions of girls rely on makeshift solutions to cope with their monthly periods -- solutions like leaves, banana fibers, or used cloth, all of which can lead to infections, embarrassing leaks, and a general lack of dignity in addition to school absenteeism. AFRIpads Ltd. is a local manufacturer and global supplier of reusable, washable sanitary pads that provide a cost-effective feminine hygiene solution. AFRIpads provide both women and girls with complete menstrual protection for more than 12 months at approximately 30 percent of the cost of disposable sanitary pads. Since AFRIpads was established, they have created over 200 jobs and have reached over 2.3 million girls and women with their reusable sanitary menstrual pads.