Women-led startup tackles period poverty in Kenya and beyond

For millions worldwide, menstrual periods come with a price tag. And in communities that already aren't equipped with things like clean water and safe sanitation, that cost can be all-consuming. Global health organizations estimate that in Kenya, 65% of women and girls cannot afford sanitary pads and tampons, forcing them to use unsafe or unhygienic alternatives. That's where Gal Care comes in. It's an organization aimed at solving period poverty in a way that fosters independence for people who need the products and for the ones who manufacture them. Joining me now is co-founder of Galare, Stephanie Marsh. Stephanie, thank you for being with us. Tell me about how this all got started and the impact so far. >> Well, I wish I could take credit for it. It started by um a group of 10 women in Kenya we call our change makers. My partners Tracy and Peter and I work with them. We built out this factory. We started with what we call a micro plant about four years ago. We built >> 500,000 maxi pads by hand. Wow. >> And these women said to us, "We can do this better. If we have a fully automated factory, we can really blow this up." And we thought, "This is the future." >> That is just incredible. So, you call Galare a social enterprise, not a charity. Can you explain the difference and why it's important to your mission? >> That's a really important distinction because Galare is meant to be sustainable and replicable. It's a business. So, on this side, it's a 5013C, but on the Kenyon side, it's a for-profit business. And the plan is in three years to hand over the keys, and these fine women will own and operate the factory as shareholders. >> Wow. >> And they will run the accounting, and they will run the distribution, and they will run the marketing, and it's theirs to own and operate and help their communities. >> That is incredible. So, it's really just helping them get started, get to a point, and then hand it off to them. >> That's right. They don't they don't need handouts. They need investment. >> Wow. >> And that's it. It was their idea and it's ours to um to help with. >> That is beautiful. So, so much of Galare is centered around the change makers. Tell us about these women uh and their role in the organization. They It's entirely their idea. There these 10 incredible women uh my partners Tracy and Peter and I have known them for a long time. >> Two years ago, I went out to visit the micro plant with Tracy and these we were seated under a tree in Kenya and and they pulled out a white board. Seriously, a white board. I don't know where they got it. Like if you have a white board, where's the Diet Coke? But okay. So they pulled out a whiteboard and they had the whole plan. They had the name. They had what they wanted to do. They had the vision for it. And I couldn't say no. >> Yeah. Wow. And it's made such a difference already. Galare's first fully automated factory just opened this week. What comes next for this mission? Well, what comes next is wider distribution in the area of western Kenya in which we work called Home Bay and then we plan to open two more locations in Kenya and then throughout East Africa. So the idea is to take it global. >> Yeah. Is this all that you could have hoped that it would be? >> No, it's more. >> You know, times are a little difficult around the world right now. >> But in such times, this works and this is good news. And it is so wonderful to be a part of >> and the impact on women and girls in that community, it must be so rewarding to see the benefits of that. >> It's generational. You know, it's not just going to happen right now. It's going to happen. and all of the women who go to school as a result of this and all of their daughters and all of their friends and the jobs and the money that's going to flow into the, you know, local economy and the position of leadership that these women will have in the community. It's it's exciting to watch. >> Yeah. Wow. Stephanie March, thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate it. >> Thanks for having me. Absolutely.

Stephanie March, co-founder of Galcare, aims to solve period poverty across the globe and give women safe, sanitary and affordable menstrual products. ---- Subscribe to ABC News on YouTube: https://abcnews.visitlink.me/59aJ1G ABC News Digital is your daily source of breaking national and world news, exclusive interviews and 24/7 live streaming coverage. Download the ABC News app for the latest headlines and alerts: https://abcnews.go.com/devices Watch 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events on ABC News Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN0PZCe-kwQ&ab_channel=ABCNews Watch full episodes of World News Tonight with David Muir here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQOa26lW-uI8ixlVw1NWu_l4Eh8iZW_qN&feature=shared Read ABC News reports online: http://abcnews.go.com ABC News is the home to the #1 evening newscast “World News Tonight” with David Muir, “Good Morning America,” “20/20,” “Nightline,” “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos, “ABC News Live Prime” with Linsey Davis, plus the daily news podcast “Start Here.”Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCNews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcnews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abcnews X: https://twitter.com/ABC Threads: https://www.threads.net/@abcnews WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VajTNakKWEKkXoAPIR11 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abcnews