The story
EcoBana Limited is a Kenyan youth-led social enterprise building practical solutions at the intersection of menstrual health, gender equality, environmental sustainability and the circular economy.
Founded by young innovators from St. Paul's University, EcoBana began with a simple but powerful question: What if agricultural waste could become part of the solution to period poverty? The answer became EcoBana, a company pioneering biodegradable menstrual hygiene products made using banana fibre and other environmentally responsible materials.
What started as a student-led idea has grown into an internationally recognised African social enterprise, earning the world's attention through the 2022 Hult Prize, receiving recognition from the Government of Kenya, winning the Cycle'Up category of the TotalEnergies Startupper of the Year Challenge, being recognised through international youth leadership platforms, and continuing to expand its work across Africa.
Founded: 2020
Based: Kisii, Kenya
Founder & CEO: Lennox Omondi
The beginning
EcoBana's story is rooted in rural Kenya, where banana farming is an important part of many communities' livelihoods. The founders recognised two interconnected challenges. First, millions of girls and women across Africa face barriers to accessing safe, affordable and dignified menstrual hygiene products. Second, conventional menstrual products contain significant amounts of plastic and contribute to the growing environmental burden of non-biodegradable waste. At the same time, banana pseudostems — the plant material left behind after harvesting — were often treated as agricultural waste.
Rather than viewing banana waste simply as something to be discarded, the team explored how its natural fibres could be incorporated into biodegradable menstrual hygiene products. The result was a circular-economy model in which agricultural waste could become a valuable raw material, while the resulting product could help address a major social challenge.
The company is headquartered in Kisii, Kenya, and has developed its work around locally sourced materials, manufacturing, community education and inclusive employment.
1 Pad, 1 Girl
One of EcoBana's flagship concepts is the 1 Pad, 1 Girl Initiative, designed around the principle that access to menstrual hygiene should not determine whether a girl attends school or participates fully in community life. The initiative connects product distribution with education and awareness. EcoBana has worked with schools, NGOs, corporate partners and other organisations to expand access to menstrual products and promote conversations around menstrual health.
Awards and recognition
- 2022 Hult Prize Global Winner — the US$1 million global award, after winning the Johannesburg regional competition and reaching the global finals at an event connected to the Clinton Global Initiative in New York
- Recognition by the President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto, among Kenya's innovation champions for using green and circular-economy principles to manufacture biodegradable sanitary pads from banana fibre
- 2024 TotalEnergies Startupper of the Year Challenge — Cycle'Up Winner, the best circular-economy project in Kenya
- Kofi Annan Changemaker 2025
- 2025 Global Student Prize finalist associated with the EcoBana journey
- 2026 GEC+ Africa Kenya Regional Pitch Competition Winner, earning a place on the continental stage at GEC+ Africa 2026 in Cape Town
Founder
Lennox Omondi — Founder & CEO
Lennox became a Kectil colleague and leader in 2022, after beginning his leadership and social entrepreneurship journey as a young university student. Through Kectil, Lennox became part of a global network of young leaders committed to innovation, entrepreneurship, public policy and positive community impact. That journey has continued beyond participation in the programme. In 2026, he was highlighted as a Kectil Global Board Member.