11.05.2026 | Case story
With financial support from Nopef, Real Relief assessed the Tanzanian market, identified partners and set up local production that avoids the cost and carbon footprint of importing finished goods. The company now has the capacity to produce 10,000 pads a day, greatly reducing plastic waste and improving the lives of women and girls throughout the country.
Poor menstrual hygiene management can lead to social stigma, reproductive health problems, and falling behind at work or school. Inadequate menstrual solutions contribute to a 17% absenteeism rate among Tanzanian schoolgirls. A holistic approach is needed, including education, supportive facilities such as toilet and bathing facilities, and proper materials. Real Relief ApS, a Danish company founded in 2013, has developed a product that plays an important role in addressing this challenge.
“We focus on menstrual health and hygiene, particularly a reusable cloth pad with anti-microbial properties,” explains Torben Holm Larsen, co-founder of Real Relief.
Larsen and his team have experience in delivering humanitarian supplies, including emergency shelters and insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Today, Real Relief focuses on reusable sanitary pads. Many people don’t have access to disposable sanitary products, and even when they do, these are not always the best option.
“Our product Safepad can be reused for four years. It still works fine after 100 test washes,” Larsen says. “Compared to disposable pads, a reusable product can save 90% of costs and reduces waste by 98%. It can also be safer thanks to the antimicrobial properties and because in some countries disposable products contain dangerous hormone-disrupting chemicals.”
Environmental, economic and social benefits
Real Relief was already providing the Safepad in some countries such as India, but saw significant potential in expanding to Africa.
“We were invited by the World Bank to consider participating in a sanitation programme they were developing in Tanzania,” explains Larsen. “Some of the key criteria we wanted was local production and sustainable distribution, but for that we needed to learn more about the market in Tanzania and meet potential key partners.”
They approached Nopef, the Nordic Project Fund administered by Nefco, for funding for a feasibility study of the Tanzanian market.
“Real Relief was already an experienced company when we first met them through the Danish Trade Council,” says Søren Berg Rasmussen, Senior Investment Manager at Nefco. “Their solution addresses several challenges at once. A reusable pad brings environmental benefits by reducing waste, particularly plastic waste. Local production and distribution create economic benefits, while improved menstrual hygiene management brings social benefits and promotes gender equality.”
Local partners key to success
In November 2024, Real Relief received financing from Nopef to conduct a feasibility study on entering the Tanzanian market. The funding was used for market research, assessing a new production facility and establishing relationships with potential partners including NGOs, government authorities and organisations such as Oikos, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) and Save the Children.
They discovered a real need for a locally based solution. Tanzania imports nearly all of its sanitary products, the vast majority of which are disposable. Real Relief entered the market and quickly began collaborating with local partners.
“Our partnership with a local professional manufacturer, the A-Z Group, works very well,” Larsen says. “They are flexible and can increase or decrease production as necessary. We currently have the installed capacity to produce 10,000 Safepads a day, with scalability up to 50,000.”
Building diverse distribution channels
The production facility and distribution network are currently the only ones in the country capable of reaching all of Tanzania, with the potential to scale up to serve neighbouring countries. Local production also saves fuel and reduces related carbon emissions, as the products no longer need to be shipped from abroad.
Real Relief has developed distribution networks through schools and community health workers. While a radio campaign delivered limited results, they hired a well-known comedienne for a television advert which resulted in a flood of interest. The company is now exploring additional distribution channels, such as retail pharmacies.
“Working with Nopef was a good experience,” Larsen says. “Everyone at Nefco understood what we were trying to do and wanted to help. Once we were approved, everything went smoothly and administration and reporting were easy.”
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