Students at Saranga Secondary School were facing a major challenge, the lack of proper water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities. With no reliable access to clean water and inadequate sanitation infrastructure, maintaining hygiene was a daily struggle. This situation particularly affected girls, who often missed school during menstruation or felt uncomfortable in an unclean environment. Beyond the school setting, many of these girls come from low-income households where poverty limits access to basic necessities, including hygiene products. These economic hardships not only affect their well-being but also put them at greater risk of school dropout, as they are often expected to contribute to household income or chores.
Instead of giving in to these barriers, the girls took action through Mshiko Clubs—a program designed to empower girls with financial literacy, agency, and entrepreneurship skills. As part of their extracurricular learning, they engaged in identifying challenges within their school and community. The WASH crisis stood out as a key issue affecting both health and education outcomes. Applying the skills they had learned, the girls developed a business idea that could help solve this challenge: producing liquid soap to improve hygiene in their school environment.
Supported by Mshiko Clubs and a seed grant from Her Initiative, the girls launched a small soap-making business they proudly named “Triple S.” With an initial production cost of 50,000 TZS, they were able to make soap worth 120,000 TZS, earning a profit of 70,000 TZS per production cycle. The soap was used to clean school toilets, classrooms, and offices, directly improving the hygiene conditions at Saranga Secondary School while also giving the girls hands-on experience in business operations and teamwork.
The girls’ vision extends beyond their initial success. They are determined to expand their business to produce other cleaning products such as JIK and disinfectants. They hope to participate in exhibitions to grow their market visibility and strengthen their entrepreneurial journey.
Through this initiative, the girls are not only creating a cleaner and safer school environment but are also building economic confidence and a sense of purpose. Their participation in Mshiko Clubs has helped them turn a challenge into an opportunity, using extracurricular activities to gain practical skills that keep them in school and prepare them for the future. Triple S is more than a business—it is a symbol of resilience, leadership, and the transformative power of girl-led solutions.