Driven by a commitment to end period poverty, local entrepreneur Lesego Mathate has built a successful sanitary product brand that is now stocked in major retail outlets across southern Africa.
Mathate, who is based in Centurion, Gauteng, founded Neno Sanitary Pads in 2016, with full operations beginning the following year. Her company supplies sanitary pads in bulk at competitive prices, primarily through business-to-business sales. However, it also caters to individuals and organisations supporting schools and community groups as part of corporate social investment programmes.
Today, Neno Sanitary Pads are available online and in over 1,000 Clicks stores throughout South Africa, as well as in selected Shoprite branches in Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. The brand has also expanded into Namibia and Botswana, tapping into trade within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Products are listed on major e-commerce platforms, including Takealot and Makro Online.
Speaking during a recent interview with Vuk’uzenzele, Mathate reflected on the early days of her business, which was inspired by her charity work with non-profit organisations focused on women and girls experiencing period poverty.
“We started with the campaign ‘Keep a Girl-Child in School’ to shine a spotlight on period poverty,” she explained.
A trained human resources professional and serial entrepreneur, Mathate initially funded the business entirely on her own.
“You can’t sustain giving indefinitely if you’re financing it from your own pocket,” she said. “Eventually, I received support from individuals and began approaching corporates.”
This journey led her to develop her own brand rather than continue distributing existing products. After researching how sanitary pads are made, she began working with professionals in the corporate and NGO sectors, which led to the launch of Neno Sanitary Pads.
“Retail is a tough space to break into,” Mathate said. “It took countless calls to buyers, persistence, and many rejections. But eventually, retailers began to show interest.”
The company has also contributed to regional trade under the African Union’s (AU) broader agenda to enhance unity, peace, and development across the continent. Mathate welcomed support from the Clicks Group in enabling cross-border expansion and praised the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative for promoting intra-African trade.
South Africa is set to host the G20 Summit in November—the first African country to do so under the AU’s newly secured permanent G20 membership. Mathate’s growing business is an example of how grassroots entrepreneurship can align with broader continental development goals such as Agenda 2063, which promotes inclusive growth and self-reliance.
Initially, all production of Neno Sanitary Pads was outsourced. However, thanks to a partnership with a manufacturing partner, Mathate now oversees 50% of production in-house.
“I financed everything myself, even borrowing from family—like most entrepreneurs do,” she said. “I’ve never received any formal funding.”
Neno Sanitary Pads currently employs 10 people, including Mathate, and continues to grow steadily. Her goal remains clear: to keep girls in school, reduce stigma around menstruation, and ensure access to affordable hygiene products—one pad at a time.
Source: Vuk’uzenzele April edition.
Editor’s note: Period poverty remains a major barrier to education, dignity, and equality for many girls and women in South Africa and across Africa. By providing accessible and affordable sanitary pads, Lesego Mathate’s work directly combats this issue, helping girls stay in school and reducing stigma around menstruation.
Description: Neno Sanitary Pads is a South African-founded brand on a mission to end period poverty through affordable, high-quality menstrual products. Launched by Mathate, the business empowers women and girls while expanding access across South Africa and the wider SADC region. Now stocked in major retailers like Clicks and Shoprite, Neno is changing lives—one pad at a time.
Editor: Thato Mahlangu
