Our Story

Huru was founded in 2008 with a vision for a world where no girl is limited by her period. Menstruation and education are inexorably linked and complicated by poverty, gender inequity, and misinformation about menstruation and the female body.

Huru has since produced over 1.78 million high-quality menstrual pads and given them to over 210,000 girls and young women. Further, in order to amplify young women struggling to find formal employment, Huru launched its Skills Development Program in 2018 to train vulnerable youth from Mukuru in sewing and tailoring skills on Huru’s industrial production lines.

Huru was born in Mukuru kwa Njenga, one of the largest informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. While Huru’s Founder, Lorna Macleod, was working in Mukuru on HIV prevention, she found that girls and women faced significant barriers to managing their periods.

Residents of Mukuru live in small corrugated steel homes and lack basic services like electricity, clean water, and adequate medical care. High unemployment rates and HIV-positive diagnoses are alarmingly prevalent, while education rates are devastatingly low. Without regular access to clean water or private toilets, girls and women struggle to manage their periods safely, confidently, and hygienically.

The poverty experienced by residents of Mukuru has informed much of Huru’s work and programming. Huru has since expanded throughout Africa, but our roots to Mukuru remain strong and our facilities are located nearby.

Huru HQ

Huru’s production, packaging, and training center is right outside of Mukuru kwa Njenga in Nairobi, Kenya. Huru’s pad and panties are made with love here by local women and men from Mukuru. And there’s plenty of space for our friends to come over. Interested in visiting Huru?

Our Family

Our Leadership

Huru International is run by women, for women. Both our New York and Nairobi Headquarters enjoy female leadership, supported by a passionate and talented staff.

Keep up with our Executive Director, @HuruLorna, and our Country Director, @HuruWanjiru, on Twitter!