Kosmotive at the 8th National Gender Conference in Maputo

A Presidential Moment for Menstrual Equity

Kosmotive represented Rwanda at the 8th National Gender Conference in Maputo, invited by the African Union Commission Women, Gender and Youth Directorate to showcase our mission at this landmark conference organized by the Government of Mozambique. Our CEO and Founder, Blandine Umuziranenge shared our story and our progress with leaders, policymakers, and change-makers from across the continent.

It was a rare highlight to receive H.E. Daniel Chapo, President of Mozambique, at our stand. He spent time learning about KosmoPads, our reusable nursing pads, and sustainable makeup wipes. In that conversation, we shared how these products empower hundreds of thousands of women in Rwanda and across Africa through affordable menstrual hygiene. It was an indication menstrual equity has become a priority at the highest levels of governments. It was a privilege to present him with a selection of our products, which we hope he will share with fellow dignitaries in the future. 

Understanding WYFEI 2030

We were specially invited as one of the social enterprises working within the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion 2030 Initiative. This continental initiative, launched by the African Union, aims to unlock USD 100 billion to support at least 10 million women and youth by 2030. The initiative addresses the reality that African women and youth have been trapped in cycles of poverty due to unequal access to education, limited market access, harmful cultural practices, and unpaid/underpaid labor. The Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion 2030 works to break these cycles by building a resilient continental ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship, promotes financial sector reform to make products and services affordable and accessible, and implements women and youth friendly economic policies. It brings together member states, central banks, training institutions, mobile telecom companies, the private sector, and women and youth themselves as co-creators and primary beneficiaries working toward lasting economic empowerment.

Why Our Work Matters

For over a decade of this work, we have distributed over 800,000 KosmoPads kits across Rwanda, the DRC, the Central African Republic, and Kenya, and we are implementing a PayGo model for women and girls who face financial barriers. We exist within the WYFEI 2030 ecosystem as proof of what happens when we prioritize a girl child’s economic empowerment by ensuring they are not hindered from work or school due to period poverty.

This conference reinforced our core mission: ensuring every girl stays in school, every woman has access to dignified products, and every community embraces sustainable solutions for better health. The conversation on women's health and gender equity is growing across Africa, we are to lead to contribute to it every step of the way.