Well, sisal leaves are the answer. Researchers at Stanford University admire the absorbent qualities of the sisal leaves and claim that these can be used to make sanitary napkins.

Today, MeTL Group produces more than a third of the country’s total sisal output – around 10,000 tonnes per year – and makes a hefty profit, as prices are now at around $2,000 per tonne.

Kenya, the world’s third-largest sisal producer, is giving small-scale farmers equipment and training to boost output and meet demand for the fiber from construction industries in Nigeria and ...