Product development does not end with certification. To create menstrual pads that are accepted, trusted, and widely adopted, Sparśa built a structured system to integrate real user experiences into design improvements.

This building block focuses on user feedback surveys and community-based testing of Sparśa pads. The initial questionnaire was co-designed by the team and adapted from international tools, but simplified after field trials revealed that long, technical questions discouraged participation. The refined survey is short, available in both Nepali and English, and structured around everyday experiences of menstruation.

The survey collects both quantitative data (absorbency, leakage, comfort, ease of movement, wearability) and qualitative insights (likes, dislikes, suggestions). It also includes questions about packaging, clarity of information, and first impressions. Importantly, the survey is distributed through Google Forms for easy access and rapid data analysis, but also adapted for offline use where internet is unavailable.

The next stage is scaling up to at least 300 users, ensuring diverse representation across age, geography, and socioeconomic background. By triangulating lab results (Block 3) with user feedback, Sparśa can continuously optimize pad design, packaging, and distribution strategies.

This approach demonstrates that menstrual product development is not only about technical performance, but also about cultural acceptability, dignity, and user trust.

This building block ensures that menstrual pads are not only functional, but also safe, hygienic, and compliant with health standards before reaching users. Pads are used on a highly sensitive part of the body, which makes strict quality assurance indispensable.

In Nepal, a sanitary pad standard exists but is not yet mandatory. Sparśa therefore chose to voluntarily design and test pads according to both national standards and international ISO-based procedures, ensuring user safety and long-term readiness for certification.

The quality assurance process is divided into two components:

1. Internal testing protocols
Developed in-house to support R&D, these tests measure:

• Total absorbency (immersion tests to measure overall liquid capacity).
• Retention under pressure (ability of the pad to hold liquid without leakage).
• Spreading behaviour (how liquid distributes across layers and wings).
• Bacterial load per layer (testing the core, topsheet, and wings separately to identify contamination sources).

These protocols allowed Sparśa to compare prototypes quickly and identify flaws before moving to external certification.

2. Standard certification testing
Once prototypes reached consistent performance, pads were tested in certified laboratories. Local labs in Nepal were prioritised for practicality, but benchmarked against ISO methods. External testing covered:

• Absorbency
• Retention
• Hygiene and microbial load
• Physical safety parameters

Since Sparśa uses natural fibres like banana fibre, viscose, and cotton, maintaining hygiene standards is even more critical than with synthetic pads. Natural fibres are compostable and environmentally preferable but can be more prone to bacterial growth if hygiene controls lapse. To address this, strict bioburden protocols were introduced: glove use at critical points (e.g. after fibre cooking), clean-room practices for pad assembly, and systematic bacterial count documentation.

Certification is not only a compliance requirement but also a trust-building tool — with users, health authorities, and donors — providing transparency and credibility in a sensitive sector.

Annexes include Nepal’s sanitary pad standards, Sparśa’s internal testing protocols, and hygiene guidelines, enabling practitioners to replicate the approach in other contexts.

This building block captures the iterative process of translating user insights into tangible menstrual pad prototypes. Guided by the national field research (Building Block 1), Sparśa developed and tested multiple pad designs to balance absorbency, retention, comfort, hygiene, and compostability.

The process took place in two phases:

Phase 1 – Manual prototyping (pre-factory):
Before the factory was operational, pads were manually assembled to explore different material combinations and layering systems. Prototypes tested 3–5 layers, usually including a soft top sheet, transfer layer, absorbent core, biobased SAP (super absorbent polymer), and a compostable back sheet. Materials such as non-woven viscose, non-woven cotton, banana fibre, CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), guar gum, sodium alginate, banana paper, biodegradable films, and glue were evaluated.

Key findings showed that while achieving high total absorbency was relatively easy — Sparśa pads even outperformed some conventional pads in total immersion tests — the main challenge lay in retention under pressure. Conventional pads use plastic hydrophobic topsheets that allow one-way fluid flow. Compostable alternatives like viscose or cotton are hydrophilic, risking surface wetness. Prototyping revealed the need to accelerate liquid transfer into the core to keep the top layer comfortable and dry.

Phase 2 – Machine-based prototyping (factory):
Once machinery was installed, a new round of prototyping began. Manual results provided guidance but could not be replicated exactly, as machine-made pads follow different assembly processes. Techniques such as embossing, ultrasonic sealing, and precise glue application were tested, alongside strict bioburden control protocols in the fibre factory.

Machine-made prototypes were systematically tested for absorption, retention, and bacterial counts. Internal testing protocols were developed in-house and then verified through certified laboratories. Initial results showed that bacterial loads varied significantly depending on fibre processing steps (e.g. cooking or beating order), underlining the importance of strict hygiene control.

Iterative design cycles combined laboratory testing with user comfort feedback, allowing continuous adjustments. By gradually refining layer combinations, thickness, and bonding methods, Sparśa optimized the balance between performance, hygiene, and environmental sustainability.

Annexes include PDFs with detailed prototype designs, retention test data, and bacterial count results. These resources are provided for practitioners who wish to replicate or adapt the methodology.

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.

The second phase of the apiculture training, conducted in Kwale, focused on post-harvest handling and value addition of hive products. It was designed as a follow-up Training of Trainers (ToT) activity to complement the technical skills acquired during the first phase. Participants included beekeeping ToTs and select group members who had harvested honey from their hives. The training covered proper harvesting techniques, hygiene, and methods for processing raw honey and hive by-products such as beeswax and propolis. Hands-on sessions enabled participants to make a range of marketable items including beeswax candles, body cream, lip balm, lotion bars, burn ointment, and cough syrup. Locally available materials such as coconut husks, bamboo, and recycled glass were used in packaging and product design. The training emphasized product quality, shelf life, and branding to improve marketability. This phase also encouraged innovation and peer exchange, as participants shared ideas for using bee products in traditional medicine or personal care. The value addition component strengthens income potential for beekeepers and supports the broader objective of creating sustainable, mangrove-compatible livelihoods.

Beekeepers in both Kwale and Mkinga had limited knowledge of improved hive management and struggled with low yields, poor equipment handling, and lack of confidence in basic apiculture practices. To address this gap, the project delivered a comprehensive Training of Trainers (ToT) programme on sustainable beekeeping practices. Participants included selected beekeepers, women and youth, as well as livestock production officers. The training focused on key topics such as bee biology and ecology, apiary site selection, colony management and multiplication, pest and disease control, pollination services, beekeeping equipment, record keeping, and the impact of pesticides on bees. Hive products and current research in the sector were also covered. Practical, hands-on learning was emphasized to ensure participants could apply knowledge immediately and confidently. The involvement of extension officers improved institutional capacity to support beekeepers beyond the project. Trained individuals were expected to pass on their knowledge and mentor others in their communities, contributing to broader uptake of improved practices and long-term sustainability of beekeeping as a nature-based livelihood in mangrove areas.

In both Kwale (Kenya) and Mkinga (Tanzania), locally produced beehives were often substandard and contributed to poor colony occupancy and low honey yields. The project responded by identifying carpentry workshops and training selected carpenters in the production of improved Kenya Top Bar Hives (KTBH) and other standardized models. In Kwale, two workshops (Lunga Lunga and Tiwi) were targeted, with Lunga Lunga already producing hives at scale but requiring technical improvement. In Mkinga, training took place in Tanga City. The training emphasized correct hive dimensions, appropriate materials, and basic bee biology to ensure the carpenters understood the functionality of each design feature. Following training, the workshops continued to produce hives to meet local demand, allowing community members to purchase hives rather than rely on donations. This helped build local ownership and supported a sustainable model for hive supply that could be scaled beyond the project. This intervention also laid the groundwork for additional support to beekeepers, who could now access better equipment within their region.

The project conducted an in-depth value chain analysis of mangrove honey in Kwale (Kenya) and Mkinga (Tanzania) to guide strategic interventions supporting conservation and local livelihoods. Using the ValueLinks methodology, the assessment mapped actors and flows across the chain, including beekeepers, input suppliers, carpentry workshops, extension services, traders, and consumers. Key challenges identified included substandard hive equipment, low production, lack of training, and weak market linkages. Most honey is sold locally with minimal value addition. The analysis revealed potential to brand mangrove honey as a niche ecological product. Recommendations included training beekeepers and carpenters, promoting individual hive ownership, establishing honey collection centers, and strengthening market access. This analysis ensured that project interventions directly addressed field realities and laid the foundation for the capacity building and marketing work that followed.

While the creation of local associations is a common GIZ approach to strengthen local voices and support trade in raw materials and products, it requires careful coordination with regional authorities and a clear step-by-step process. In northeast Côte d’Ivoire, before engaging local communities, a meeting was held with prefects, sub-prefects, political representatives, and members of an existing successful association of traditional medicine practitioners. The association shared why it was formed and what it had achieved, leading to buy-in and support from local authorities.

In the second step, a workshop gathered traditional medicine practitioners from regional villages. The existing association again shared its process and results, inspiring other practitioners. However, tensions between established practitioners and those with different approaches who are not yet organised were acknowledged. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the association-building process remained inclusive and balanced.

In the third step, practitioners took this knowledge back to their communities, where they discussed the association’s structure and their involvement with local decision-makers. The process is supported by a sister GIZ project active on the ground.