This building block captures the iterative research, prototyping, and testing process behind the design and performance optimization of Sparsa's compostable menstrual pads. The goal was to systematically address key challenges such as absorbency, retention, and hygiene using accessible, compostable materials and context-appropriate methods. 
 
During initial trials, the embossing of the word 'Sparsa' into the pad design caused production issues, as the added pressure led to small holes at the site of embossing. This aesthetic feature was removed in future die versions to preserve structural integrity. Material testing revealed that the non-woven cotton selected for the top layer was hydrophobic, preventing fluid from entering the absorbent core. Though soft and natural, it was unsuitable. It was replaced by viscose, a hydrophilic and compostable fiber. However, viscose caused another issue—it spread liquid too effectively toward the wings, where no absorbent material was present, leading to leakage. 
 
To address these problems, internal lab tests were developed and applied. The team created over twenty prototypes, varying in top layers, glue types, layer arrangements, and inclusion of guar gum. Some of these, like guar gum, improved total retention but introduced a gel-like texture that reduced comfort and slowed absorption. Tests showed that glue can either support or hinder fluid transfer depending on how and where it's applied—too much glue acted as a barrier and even left residues. Effective glue bonding improved layer connectivity but required careful quantity control. 
 
One critical hygiene failure revealed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. Investigation found that gloves were not mandatory in the fiber factory, especially after cooking. Human skin was the primary contamination source. The team responded by revising hygiene protocols, making gloves mandatory post-cooking in both pad and fiber factories. This step eliminated the bacterial presence in follow-up tests. 
 
To better understand bacterial presence and reduction strategies, five process variations were developed—each changing the sequence of cooking, beating, and chlorine treatment. These were labeled Sample A to E and tested for bacterial load. The results provided insight into how specific steps and moisture conditions influence microbial contamination. 
 
Leakage from the wings was another key challenge, especially with viscose layers that spread liquid outward. Since wings lacked absorbent material, the team created different prototypes to control this spread. Solutions included modifying top layers, stretching or perforating materials, using starch or wood glue in targeted zones, and bonding absorbent materials more tightly. Some prototypes featured layered configurations with transfer paper. Tests confirmed that fluid distribution and retention improved only when materials were positioned effectively—paper layers under the core performed poorly, while those bonded near the surface aided absorption. 
 
Through every iteration, the team learned to question assumptions, test every new configuration, and document repeatable results. Design improvements were not driven by one-time outcomes but by data-backed testing, careful material selection, and practical lessons from production. 
 

This building block outlines the findings and methodology of a nationwide field study conducted in 2022, which informed the Sparśa Pad Project. The research examined menstrual product usage, access, stigma, and user preferences among 820 Nepali women and adolescent girls in 14 districts across all seven provinces.

Using a structured face-to-face interview approach, the team employed ethically approved questionnaires administered by culturally rooted female research assistants. This method ensured trust, context sensitivity, and accurate data collection across diverse communities. The interviewers were trained in ethical protocols and worked in their own or nearby communities, thereby strengthening rapport and enhancing their understanding of local norms, power relations, and languages.

Key findings revealed a high reliance on disposable pads (75.7%) and ongoing use of cloth (44.4%), with product preferences strongly shaped by income, education, and geography. Respondents prioritized absorbency, softness, and size in menstrual products. While 59% were unfamiliar with the term “biodegradable,” those who understood it expressed a strong preference for compostable options, over 90%. Importantly, 73% of participants followed at least one menstrual restriction, yet 57% expressed positive feelings about them, seeing them as tradition rather than purely discriminatory.

These findings directly shaped the design of Sparśa’s compostable pads, informed the user testing protocols, and guided the development of targeted awareness campaigns. The accompanying link and PDFs include a peer-reviewed research article co-authored by the team and supervised by Universidade Fernando Pessoa (Porto, Portugal), as well as informed consent forms, a statement of confidentiality, and a research questionnaire. These documents are provided for practitioners' reference or replication purposes.

Why this is useful for others:

For Nepali organizations and local governments:

• The study provides representative national data to inform product design, pricing strategies, and outreach campaigns.
• It reveals regional, ethnic, and generational differences in attitudes that are essential for localized intervention planning.
• The questionnaire is available in Nepali and can be adapted for school surveys, municipal assessments, or NGO projects.

For international actors:

• The research demonstrates a replicable, ethical field methodology that balances qualitative insight with statistically relevant sampling.
• It offers a template for conducting culturally sensitive research in diverse, low-income settings.
• Key insights can guide similar product development, health education, and behavior change interventions globally.

Instructions for practitioners:

• Use the attached PDFs as templates for conducting your own baseline studies.
• Adapt the questions to reflect your region’s cultural and product context.
• Leverage the findings to avoid common pitfalls, such as overestimating awareness of biodegradable products or underestimating positive views on restrictions.
• Use the structure to co-design products and testing tools that truly reflect end-user needs.

Currently, most MSMEs are sponsored by CATHSSETA as part of a structured developmental programme. The basic version of the Grasshopper Tool is priced at $43.70 USD (approximately R800) per month, allowing each MSME to onboard up to 10 users and manage up to 50 projects. Although the tool has not yet been actively marketed, it has already attracted interest, with several self-funded MSMEs requesting access and successfully onboarded.

While the tool is not yet available on app stores, it is fully accessible via web browsers on both smartphones and computers, which all participating MSMEs currently use.

Grasshopper Technologies has further identified a lack of coordination in terms of where Green Jobs are posted in South Africa. The Green Jobs Connect Platform was therefore built to help Green Graduates as well as Green SMMEs to apply for opportunities within the conservation sector in the country. The platform is made up of the 3 main components:

1. Green MSMEs looking for opportunities
2. Clients looking at appointing Green and vetted MSMEs and Graduates
3. Graduates looking for work opportunities

The platform is managed by Grasshopper and is free for all and it seek to connect the three components above. 

A mobile- and web-based project management platform designed specifically for small contractors working in conservation. It enables users to manage teams, track fieldwork, generate quotes and invoices, and monitor project performance. The tool is optimized for low digital literacy, offline functionality, and smartphone accessibility—empowering MSMEs to operate professionally and independently in the conservation sector. 

1. Quoting tool: this has not been integrated yet to Grasshopper, however a prototype has been developed which uses historical data based on projects cleared in the past with similar characteristics e.g. a vegetation block/unit with Acacia mearnsii on a mountain slope with a 100% density and adult trees. This information will therefore guide the MSME based on thousands of datapoints collected from historical data. It does not provide a price for the MSMEs as these are affected by inflation government price adjustments etc. However it provides some guidance in terms of the number of days that each clearing block will take to remove of all the vegetation. The person days would normally be the driving force behind the actual quote or price of the site taking into consideration some key variables that include site location, transport, team composition and vegetation densities etc. 

Contour Enviro Group has established partnerships with some key conservation authorities in the country which further include local and provincial Protected Areas, where Contour gains access to conservation sites for its training programmes and exposing the MSMEs to conservation projects. Further discussions with other PA management authorities outside the Western Cape province are being discussed.

To strengthen the enabling environment for sustainable freshwater aquaculture, state-level Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) were initiated in the states of Assam and Odisha. The platforms were designed to bring together actors from government, the private sector, cooperatives, academia, and civil society to collectively address sector-specific challenges and align efforts across policies and programs.

The MSP development process in Assam and Odisha was carried out over a period of approximately 18 months. It began with a strategic planning workshop involving the Department of Fisheries, where the concept, purpose, and governance structure of the MSP were introduced. Feedback was collected to refine the structure, clarify roles, and ensure alignment with state priorities.

Subsequent workshops facilitated dialogue among key stakeholders, leading to the identification of priority challenges and opportunities in the freshwater aquaculture sector. As a result, in both states thematic working groups were established on e.g., One Health, Feed and Seed, Capacity Building, Finance and Insurance, and Decentralized Renewable Energy. These groups developed draft proposals for scoping studies and potential action plans to address key issues within their thematic areas.