We ensure
a positive menstrual experience for adolescent girls in Kenya

Inteco is a process innovation company based in Kenya. It houses the sanitary pad dispenser brand Ari. Ari simply lives and breathes to ensure that adolescent girls in Kenya get the best menstrual experience by designing a solution with them at the center of it.

The problem

Unfortunately, for many girls, they find their menstruation a curse at worst and a burden at best.

This problem cannot be solved only with an increase in sanitary pads. When we looked at adolescent programs in Kenya we realized that the problem was lack of beneficiary-centered accessibility.

Simply put we believe for an adolescent girl to reap the benefits of a successful sanitary pad program in Kenya three things need to be in place.

  • Privacy – a girl must access her menstrual products in a dignified and private manner.
  • No human interaction – to enhance the previous point girls need a self-service station so that power dynamics between the provider and the beneficiary are eradicated.
  • Physical accessibility – A girl needs an easy, no-fuss way of getting her menstrual product.

Our solution

We pioneered sanitary pad dispenser in Kenya in 2013. Since then we have listened, co-created and iterated countless times to get a product that not only the girls would love to use, but assist in enhancing sanitary pad programs in Kenya specifically those situated in school programs.

We install

We put up sanitary pad dispensers in schools. This self-service feature allows girls to access sanitary pads when they need it. Our dispensers dispense one pad which devalues the item. Therefore, cases of reselling are eradicated.

We offer girls a pad "ATM" card

We issue out a unique ID card which allows the girls to access our machines. These cards are preloaded with the equivalent number of pieces in a packet i.e 8 pieces=8 swipes.

We track

With our pad atm we are able to account for each and every single pad that goes through our system. Through our technology we can tell if the girls have received their monthly provisions.

We audit

At the end of the year, we do a program audit which entails going through our historic data against class attendance to see if there has been an improvement.

We teach

We teach the importance of menstrual hygiene management and we take them through the proper ways to use the pad atm.

We collaborate

We bring together teachers, parents and community leaders. By bringing all these stakeholders together transparency of the sanitary pad program increases.

Our History

Ari seems like a new kid on the block but, it really isn’t. We have spent 6 years perfecting our technology and our systems. We mesh human-centered design with technology to build various versions of our sanitary pad dispenser in Kenya.

The coin purse

The very first one was our coin box/ Its main aim was to have access in case of an emergency. It worked wonderfully in public toilets. Women could access one pad for only 10ksh ( $0.1). Our theory at the time was no one wanted to buy a full packet when they needed to plug the leak (literally and figuratively). Therefore, we created a machine where a woman could buy a pad anywhere, anytime and that was when our slogan was born.

  • Wall mounted
  • 62 single pad capacity
  • Battery operated
  • Adjustable pricing
  • Anti-theft locking mechanism

The pink box.

The second version was the pink box. Our sleekest, most aesthetically pleasing design to date. This design, unfortunately, had very dire user flaws. This is where we learned the importance of co-creation with our users and approaching design through a human-centered approach. We took our failed machines to the market for the sole purpose of learning. We learned how girls interact with it. What teachers wanted to see from the design. All these we took in stride and went back to the drawing board.

  • Wall mounted
  • Tap operated
  • Powered by rechargeable battery
  • Remote tracking
  • Anti-theft locking mechanism




The peach

Our third official version is the yellow machine. A bright, in your face, no apology dispenser a perfect mirror on our attitude for menstruation.

  • Wall mounted
  • 82 single pad capacity
  • Tap operated
  • Powered by Solar and grid power
  • Remote tracking
  • Anti-theft locking mechanism
  • User friendly cues

#1by30

This is a social campaign by Ari. We want to account for a million pads by the year 2030.

With our campaign, we want to achieve the following

Encourage long term sustainable engagements

Reduce short term donations and have wellwishers pool into a fund that can have a bigger impact for longer

Streamline accountability

Highlight that without adequate accounting, we as a community will not be able to know if there are sufficient interventions to eradicating #periodpoverty.

Break down Silos

Eradicate small scale replication and stream line the value chain to better serve adolescent girls in Kenya

JOIN US

We would love if you were part of our campign. Click on Join to find out why you should be part of this and how you can help with the campaign.

Join the Nation

Frequently Asked Questions