Female teachers from Leaders in Teaching Ethiopia (LiTE) Program, Imagine1day target schools across five regions of Ethiopia have completed an 11-day Training of Trainers (TOT) on Reusable Sanitary Pad Production, held in Addis Ababa, Kotebe University of Education from May 1 to 11, 2026.
The training equipped female educators with practical skills they will cascade to school gender clubs and adolescent girls in their communities, directly addressing menstrual hygiene management (MHM) as a major barrier to girls’ education.
The curriculum guided participants from theory to production. Trainees explored pad design, material selection, and hygiene fundamentals before progressing to hand-sewing with cluster paper templates and full machine-based production. They also learned how to assemble the Sewing machine and to produce complementary underwear kits. They gained foundational entrepreneurship skills in costing and market selling. Dedicated sessions on Safeguarding, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), organizational culture, and GESI mainstreaming were delivered by Imagine1day’s Protection and Education Teams. Pre- and post-assessments tracked knowledge and skill gains throughout the training. To ensure sustainability, sewing machines were procured and distributed to the targeted schools, enabling immediate production once teachers return.
The training closed with a participant-led exhibition showcasing the pads produced during the session, followed by a certification ceremony attended by the Imagine1day Chief Program Officer, Chief Strategic Partnership Officer, PMU GESI Lead, and other members of the Senior Leadership Team. The Leaders in Teaching Ethiopia (LiTE) Program is implemented by Imagine1day (lead), EDT, and Geneva Global Ethiopia.