Esther’s idea is to develop an eco-friendly, low-cost sanitary pad made from banana fiber, called the Venille pad, This biodegradable pad is designed to be 100% recyclable, eliminating a huge amount of plastic waste. Esther points out that not only are conventional pads made of up to 90% plastic and could take up to 250 to 800 years to decompose, they also contain harmful chemicals that can be detrimental to women’s health. As a more low-cost option, the Venille pad can also help to tackle period poverty, a major concern for women and girls worldwide.