GalCare introduces production hub in Kenya to combat period poverty
The factory is set to generate hundreds of jobs, starting with training in quality control, sales, accounting, and entrepreneurship for women in Homa Bay.
KENYA – GalCare, a US-based social enterprise, has launched its first fully automated factory in Mbita, Kenya, to boost access to affordable menstrual products and combat period poverty.
The initiative aims to reach 500,000 women over the next three years through local production, job creation, and community empowerment.
The Mbita facility, inaugurated in early March 2026, produces high-quality Galentine Care sanitary pads designed by local women known as ChangeMakers.
These pads meet stringent safety and absorbency standards and are sold at accessible prices in the Homa Bay region, with sales funding further training and free distributions to schoolgirls.
It evolved from a modest 600-square-foot microplant that already produced over 500,000 pads, serving more than 100,000 women via donations and outreach.
At 50% capacity within the first year, the factory aims to serve over 200,000 women, scaling to self-sustainability as a for-profit entity after three years.
Co-founded by actress-activist Stephanie March, dClutterfly CEO Tracy McCubbin, and public health expert Peter McOdida, GalCare operates as a 501(c)(3) in the US to fund early operations while keeping profits and jobs local.
March stated, “GalCare is a factory, and yes, we make safe, absorbent, high-quality pads that meet the highest standards.”
“That should be a given for all women. But GalCare is so much more than manufacturing. We are creating jobs, building skills, reducing stigma and proving that women’s health solutions can be both profitable and transformative.”
ChangeMakers like Diana Achieng have transitioned from aid recipients to leaders in production, marketing, and advocacy.
It addresses period poverty affecting over 500 million women globally by enabling dignified menstrual management and reinvesting sales into community health education on reproductive and menstrual topics.
Plans include expansion across Kenya and East Africa, with every pad pack sold supporting a closed-loop system of employment, free school supplies, and leadership development.
Homa Bay County Governor Gladys Wanga praised it as a sustainable economic boost that cuts school absenteeism.
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