Browsing by Author "Nkiwane, L."

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    Development of a low cost re-usable microfibre sanitary pad.
    (Science and Engineering Publishing Company, 2014-07-04) Chakwana, C.; Nkiwane, L.
    Menstrual hygiene management is a big problem for women and girls in Zimbabwe as the sanitary pads are expensive. An average pack of 8-10 at $ US1. 50 is significantly expensive for females coming from low income families, which has caused women and girls to resort to unhealthy ways such as using grass and cow dung for managing their menstruation, which exposes them to infections. The aim was to develop a low-cost re-usable microfibre sanitary pad with good performance properties and low cost maintenance, affordable to poor women. The design was based on the Johnson and Johnson re-usable (a rectangular shape) sanitary pads. The new re-usable pad was developed from polyester microfibre materials. It has a pocket for an insert of another material that will enhance the collection of blood. The developed pad was tested for wicking, leakage and strike through properties. The newly developed pad exhibited better properties and yet cheaper than the commercial disposable pads.
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    Performance characteristics of local and imported sanitary pads.
    (Zimbabwe Journal of Science & Technology, 2014) Nyoni, A.B.; Nkiwane, L.; Gonde, P.; Sibanda, P.
    A comparative study of Zimbabwean manufactured and imported sanitary pads was carried out in order to elucidate the performance characteristics that make them popular with the majority of women. Five different types of the most popular imported and locally made sanitary pads that were determined by a preliminary questionnaire survey were selected and their performance characteristics, that is, absorbency, liquid retention and strike through properties determined. The results show that imported sanitary pads are preferred by Zimbabwean women (47%) due to their performance characteristics such as comfort, odour control, size, absorption, sticking of adhesive, packaging and protection of strike through. Women using local products account for 39% of the sample population and those using both imported and local products 14% and a significant number of women in rural areas (72%) are still using alternative methods due to the prohibitive costs of modern methods of sanitary protection.