Eco Leaders Series: Lydia Thompson on Turning Agricultural Waste into Menstrual Dignity
In Co-creation Hub's Eco Leaders series, our founder Lydia Thompson spoke about turning agricultural waste into biodegradable sanitary pads — and why period poverty is a problem she's lived, not just studied.
Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) featured Allgreen Ivy Limited, the company behind Terraverde-Care, in its Eco Leaders series spotlighting women advancing Nigeria's green innovation solutions. In a March 2025 interview, founder Lydia Thompson spoke about the personal experience behind our biodegradable sanitary pads, and the journey from a BSc in Agriculture to building a menstrual health brand from banana stems and maize husks that would otherwise go to waste.
"The inspiration for our biodegradable sanitary pads came from my personal experience and a deep desire to create change. Growing up, I faced challenges in accessing affordable menstrual products, and this struggle stayed with me as I pursued my degree in agriculture."
Lydia also spoke about affordability and accessibility for low-income women and girls — working with community groups, NGOs, and government initiatives to distribute pads at subsidized rates — and about the societal taboos and funding hurdles every founder in this space has to navigate.
"Today, our biodegradable pads are more than a product; they are a movement to restore dignity, support livelihoods, and promote sustainability."
The interview also covers how the Growth Capital Investment Programme (GCIP) helped Allgreen Ivy sharpen its distribution strategy and scale its impact. Read the full interview at Co-creation Hub for the complete conversation.