text: Freweini was born in Ethiopia and educated in the United States, studying chemical engineering at Prairie View A&M University. In 2005, she patented a reusable menstrual pad that can be used for up to 2 years with proper care. As of 2019, she employs hundreds of locals in Tigray region of Ethiopia, and makes more than 700,000 of the reusable pads that are mainly provided to non-governmental organizations.