About this project
PADÍ is a sustainable, disposable, bio-sensing menstruation pad paired with a data-tracking app that provides actionable reproductive health insights. The project addresses one of the most pressing yet overlooked gaps in healthcare: the lack of accessible, affordable, and early detection tools for women’s reproductive health conditions. Millions of women suffer from undiagnosed issues like urinary tract infections (UTIs), anemia, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis, which contribute to over 250,000 preventable deaths annually in the U.S. and billions of dollars in healthcare costs worldwide. Simultaneously, it tackles an environmental catastrophe: conventional pads, containing up to 90% plastic, take 500–800 years to decompose, with 12 billion menstrual products ending up in U.S. landfills each year. This waste disproportionately affects marginalized communities, while systemic menstrual inequity means 1 in 5 American students struggle to afford products, and 25% of Nigerian girls miss school due to lack of access.
Our innovation lies in leveraging menstrual blood as a diagnostic fluid. Instead of relying on invasive blood draws, costly office visits, or delayed lab tests, PADÍ offers women a familiar, monthly, and non-invasive opportunity to monitor over 10+ biomarkers, including infection markers, iron levels (for anemia), and hormone imbalances (for PCOS and endometriosis). This proactive, continuous monitoring model represents a fundamental shift in healthcare from reactive to preventive. The pad, made from biodegradable banana fibers, also addresses the immense environmental waste caused by traditional plastic-based pads, promoting a circular economy and sustainability. The coupled app translates biosensor data into actionable insights, offering tailored recommendations, early alerts, and direct connections to medical and wellness resources.
We have already initiated pilots in underserved U.S. communities and aim to extend our reach globally, particularly in regions where menstrual health and women’s diagnostics are critically underfunded. Through our nonprofit foundation, Period Padi, we have reached 14,500 students across three countries with educational and wellness booths, validating demand for our platform and building a strong community. In Q1 2025, we distributed 748 banana fiber pads for free and secured 415 pre-orders. We also developed an MOU with 24 Los Angeles schools. With the requested support, we will expand PADÍ from a validated concept into large-scale deployment, beginning with the necessary FDA approval and clinical trials.
The introduction of banana fiber pads into the American community is a testament to our passion for increasing sustainability and driving climate action across all communities. With our established work in Nigeria, India, and the United States, we aim to ensure that all women have access to sustainable menstrual options while we continue to advance the development of the biosensing pad.
With current support and backing from UNESCO, Chegg, PERIOD, Dream.Org, the Diana Award, and many others, we are confident in our ability to expand this initiative and create a sustainable, smart, and safe menstrual solution for all.
Goals and Objectives
PADÍ seeks to close the gap in women’s health by transforming menstrual care into a diagnostic and preventive health tool. Our goal is to detect and address reproductive health challenges early—such as UTIs, anemia, hormonal imbalances, and fertility concerns—through a sustainable, disposable bio-sensing pad connected to a data-tracking app. By merging affordability, accessibility, and actionable health insights, PADÍ reframes menstruation as both a personal health check and a pathway to systemic change.
Our primary beneficiaries are women and girls, particularly those in underserved and low-resource settings who often face delayed diagnoses, high medical costs, and stigma around reproductive health. They were chosen because they represent the population most excluded from early detection and consistent care, yet they bear the heaviest health and financial burdens. By providing real-time insights and educational resources, PADÍ empowers them to manage their health proactively, reduce long-term medical costs, and advocate for themselves within healthcare systems.
To ensure sustainability, PADÍ integrates a circular model: biodegradable pads lower environmental impact, while anonymized health data supports research partnerships with hospitals, insurers, and public health agencies, generating revenue streams that sustain distribution in low-income regions. Schools and community health programs will adopt PADÍ as part of broader menstrual equity initiatives, embedding it into existing infrastructures that continue beyond initial funding.
The project is highly replicable: reproductive health challenges are universal, and PADÍ’s low-cost, scalable design makes it adaptable across geographies. With each expansion, aggregated data sharpens early-warning systems for women’s health globally, while local tailoring ensures cultural relevance. Ultimately, PADÍ has the potential to redefine menstrual health—not just as hygiene, but as the frontline of preventive care. And while we continue to establish the science of the biosensing pad, we have the opportunity initiative to introduce banana fiber pads as an option all women deserve.
Expected result
Our project builds on strong traction, having already reached 14,500 young women and girls across Nigeria, India, and the U.S., with the distribution of 3,456 menstrual kits and pads, including 758 banana fiber pads. This existing engagement demonstrates community trust and the feasibility of scaling our approach, providing a solid foundation for broader impact.
The introduction of banana fiber pads is expected to deliver immediate health and environmental benefits. By replacing conventional pads with biodegradable, toxin-free alternatives, we reduce exposure to plastics and chemicals that contribute to infections and reproductive complications. Over the first year, we aim to distribute 5,000 banana fiber pads through wellness booths in schools, directly preventing at least 1,200 cases of untreated anemia and supporting early detection of conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, and urinary tract infections. The pads also divert over 2 tons of plastic waste from landfills, significantly reducing environmental impact while promoting circular economy practices.
Through the integration of bio-sensing pads and educational packaging, we will collect 10,000+ anonymized menstrual data points, enabling early recognition of reproductive health trends. This proactive monitoring may prevent dozens of deaths from sepsis annually by flagging high-risk infections and detect PCOS in up to 20% of participating girls, allowing timely medical intervention. Each wellness booth will provide education, peer mentoring, and resources, contributing to improved health literacy and confidence among students.
Our expected results are grounded in SMART principles. They are Specific (distribute 5,000 pads, collect 10,000+ data points), Measurable (track reductions in anemia symptoms, infection rates, and school absenteeism), Achievable (leveraging 24 existing wellness booths and community partnerships), Relevant (directly addressing reproductive health, education access, and sustainability), and Time-bound (targets to be achieved within 12–18 months).
Long-term, PADÍ will generate a unique menstrual health dataset to inform public health research, reduce school absenteeism by 30%, prevent tens of thousands in preventable healthcare costs, and establish a replicable model for sustainable menstrual care. By scaling both the educational and technological components, PADÍ advances health equity, environmental sustainability, and data-driven innovation in female reproductive health.
Partners
About me / organisation
Titilope Olotu
Titilope is a first-generation Nigerian-American changemaker and near-FGM survivor using education, innovation, and advocacy to transform women’s health and wellness globally. After enduring an abusive labour exchange as a child in the US and years of financial instability, she graduated salutatorian of her IB high school while working over 42 hours weekly to support her family. Now a biology major at UCLA, she is channelling her lived experience into groundbreaking work in menstrual equity, reproductive justice, and health innovation.
At 18, she is the founder of PADÍ For You – a non-profit providing wellness booths that combine menstrual care, mental health support, and financial literacy. To date, PADÍ For You has served over 14,700 students across the US, Nigeria, and India, distributing 2,570+ kits and holding dozens of workshops.
Her most notable innovation is the PADÍ Eco-Kit, which includes biodegradable banana fiber pads infused with herbal healing agents to support women with BV, yeast infections, and FGM-related trauma.Her groundbreaking invention – PADÍ – initially featured biodegradable banana fiber pads infused with herbal healing agents for conditions like yeast infections, BV, and FGM scarring. Developed in UCLA’s NSF BioPACIFIC Lab, the pads are providing support for women whom medical professionals and antibiotics have failed. Her newest advancement provides smart and sustainable menstrual care through biosensors with over 10+ biomarkers, translating menstruation into in-depth health analysis that delivers non-invasive, personalised data. Titilope’s innovation has earned her awards, widespread recognition, and partnerships with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the NBA Foundation, and others.
Committed to uplifting others, Titilope has mentored over 453 students and edited more than 620 scholarship and college applications, helping peers gain admission to top universities. She is currently building a PADÍ Global Fellows Programme to empower other first-generation college students to launch wellness initiatives in their communities.
Titilope’s long-term vision includes FDA approval for her medicinal pads, opening OB/GYN clinics in Nigeria and Somalia, and ensuring wellness resources are a human right – not a privilege.
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