Value
Dignity first
Every conversation, product and workshop is built around respect, privacy and practical usefulness.
About
Sister, in Tigrinya.
Haftey means sister. That is how we work with each other and with the women and girls we support. We are a startup social enterprise, founded by Foundation 4YBIN in the Netherlands and Ethiopia.
- Region
- Tigray
- Founded by
- 4YBIN
- Model
- Social enterprise
Dignity begins with knowledge, confidence and access. Haftey connects menstrual health education, local employment and reusable products in one practical model.
Our mission
Not charity. A local enterprise with a social purpose.
Menstruation is still surrounded by silence in many communities in Tigray. Girls miss school, women miss work and shame quietly limits what is possible. Haftey exists to change that pattern through steady, local and respectful work.
The initiative brings three needs together. Women and girls need clear information about their bodies. They need access to reliable products. Women also need paid work that builds skill, confidence and independence. Haftey treats those needs as connected.
“A period should never decide whether a girl joins class, speaks freely or feels at home in her own body.”
Haftey Dignity Initiative
Our story
Built from what 4YBIN saw in classrooms and communities.
Haftey was founded by Foundation 4YBIN, For Youth Business Innovation Network. 4YBIN builds enterprises that create employment for women and young people, and supports Haftey through its first year with structure, mentorship and a wider network.
The idea grew out of years of work in Tigray. The same pattern appeared again and again: girls without reliable menstrual products, teachers without materials to talk about the cycle, and women ready to work if the work existed. Haftey is an answer to those gaps.
Value
Local leadership
The women closest to the work shape the tone, the priorities and the way sessions are delivered.
Value
Honest reporting
We share what we can measure, explain what is still in progress and avoid invented impact claims.
How we work
Small enough to stay close. Structured enough to grow.
A compact local team runs production, education and community outreach, supported by mentors from 4YBIN in the Netherlands and Ethiopia. Decisions about content, tone and priorities sit with the women in Tigray who deliver the work.
Any profit from product sales is reinvested into the enterprise, in more training, more production capacity and more awareness sessions. There are no external shareholders and no dividends. Growth only matters when it strengthens the mission.
Work with us
Help Haftey reach more schools, women and communities.
We are building partnerships with schools, NGOs, funders and health professionals who want menstrual health to be discussed with clarity and dignity.