Blossom Care Solutions is a business with a social imperative at its core. Blossom’s social-economic development initiative could provide medtech suppliers with a broad range of B-BBEE partnership options – enterprise development to supplier development; Youth Employment Services (YES) youth implementation partner; environmental, social and corporate governance. The Blossom Project is focused on addressing three problems:

  1. Improving access to sanitary pads specifically amongst young girls in Township markets to address period poverty and menstrual health education
  2. Address unemployment within Township markets by creating jobs through the manufacture sites, the YES programme and fringe jobs (sales and distribution)
  3. Create sustainable futures for Township women by incubating and supporting the development of female-led, black-owned businesses.

How you can partner with Blossom Care Solutions:

  • YES implementation partner: Companies partnering with YES for B-BBEE purposes who cannot place youth internally can be sponsored at the Blossom sites. This provides the learners with an understanding of various aspects of the business including the manufacturing process and marketing of sanitary pads. Members can earn up to two levels up on their B-BBEE scorecard through YES.
  • Skills development: Once youth graduate, they are supported with a business and social franchise model. There is a large emphasis on mentorship, personal growth, and development – an excellent opportunity to deploy skills development funding. Blossom’s learning and skills development include vocational skills, technical skills, principles of production, small business literacy and sustainability, as well as menstrual health and menstrual hygiene education.
  • Enterprise and supplier development: There is an opportunity to partner with Blossom on developing the capacity and development of female-led black-owned businesses. Blossom Care Solutions has a tested business model with a rigorous vetting process. They manufacture pads at ISO compliant sites that they can then market, distribute and sell – creating a decentralised supply chain. The sites are set up to be profitable; at 70% capacity, they produce three and a half million pads a year which has the potential to generate R4.5 million in revenue per annum.
  • Environmental impact: Blossom has specific projects around addressing the environmental impact of sanitary pads. It is partnering with Interwaste to manage waste created by pads, has implemented renewable energy sources at manufacturing sites and is scaling production of 100% biodegradable and compostable pads. This presents an opportunity for those who want to partner on locally sources bio-nonwovens or raw materials as the objective is to be carbon neutral by 2026
  • Social responsibility: The pads produced can be purchased and donated to schools and non-profits for social responsibility spend – reducing period poverty and supporting young black women
  • Localisation: The machines used by the Blossom Project are currently sources internationally, but Blossom is keen to partner with local innovators with the capacity to build and/or support the required machinery

The Blossom Project offers a wide range of solutions within sanitary pads, but the potential to expand into other products is being investigated. Blossom Care Solutions welcomes partnerships from medtech companies on existing and potential future projects.