Malawi: From Seaweed to Sanitary Pads - Malawian Scientist Pushes to Build Solutions in Africa

What the report says

Malawian scientist and entrepreneur Kennedy Mulungu has been highlighted by AllAfrica after being selected as one of 10 young innovators from more than 900 international applicants to attend the United Nations Science, Technology and Innovation Forum in New York. The forum gave him the chance to speak with groups such as the World Intellectual Property Organization and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers about how African biotechnology can move toward global markets.

Mulungu leads Ubhwando Group Limited and is working on health-focused projects aimed at rural communities in Malawi. His current work includes biodegradable sanitary pads and wound dressings made from alginate, a material extracted from seaweed. The products are being developed through his BioAlgix effort and the LEA-WH Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fellowship, with the goal of eventually manufacturing them locally.

According to the report, the project is still in the refinement and validation stage, with testing and regulatory preparation needed before commercial production. Mulungu says the broader aim is to close the gap between research and market-ready products in Malawi and across Africa, where funding, mentorship, intellectual property support and manufacturing networks can be difficult to access.

The story is part of a wider conversation about African innovators turning local resources into practical solutions for health, agriculture and climate-related problems. In Malawi, Mulungu’s work is presented as an example of trying to build products designed for local needs while also creating pathways for African science to reach wider markets.