Lindiwe Nkuna-Kgopa, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lindiwe Sanitary Pads (LSP), has been named the winner of the 2026 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award in South Africa, recognising a business that is creating jobs, expanding manufacturing and opening new opportunities for women across Africa.
The award celebrates women entrepreneurs who lead with courage, innovation and a commitment to empowering others. For Lindiwe, the recognition reflects more than a decade of building a business that has grown from a small operation in a home kitchen into Africa’s first large-scale sanitary pad manufacturing facility owned and operated entirely by women. Today, the Centurion-based factory spans 4,000 square metres and produces 800 South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) compliant sanitary pads every minute.
Beyond manufacturing, the company is helping to address period poverty while creating employment and supporting female entrepreneurship. LSP currently employs 36 full-time staff members and an additional 93 workers during peak production periods, with most employees coming from previously disadvantaged communities. In 2026 alone, the company has also supplied more than 100,000 schoolgirls with free sanitary products.
Building a business despite early setbacks
Lindiwe’s entrepreneurial journey was shaped by determination and resilience. Raised in Limpopo, she became a young mother while studying at the University of Pretoria but remained focused on building a business that could make a lasting social and economic impact.
When she first approached investors with her vision, she was told her business would not succeed. Instead of giving up, she continued investing in her idea. One of the company’s most challenging moments came when it faced an empty bank account, unpaid suppliers and growing financial pressure. During that period, Lindiwe secured R27 million in funding without collateral after inviting executives to visit the factory and presenting her long-term vision directly.
Her ambition was always to build what she once described as “the birth of an empire”, transforming an industry that serves women but has historically seen few women in ownership and leadership positions.
Today, LSP has become one of South Africa’s leading manufacturers of sanitary products and remains the only black woman-owned large-scale sanitary pad manufacturer on the continent. The company produces proudly South African, SABS-compliant products while continuing to invest in innovation and manufacturing capacity.
Expanding opportunities across Africa
LSP’s impact extends beyond South Africa. Through its partnership with Young Women of Africa (YWoA), the company has expanded into 11 African countries, helping women entrepreneurs establish and own their own sanitary pad brands. The initiative gives women access to business opportunities, income generation and greater economic independence.
The business also places a strong emphasis on skills development and creating career opportunities for women. Its workforce, made up largely of women, is encouraged to grow professionally while contributing to a manufacturing business that promotes gender equality and long-term economic participation.
Lindiwe’s vision was inspired by her own experiences growing up in rural Limpopo, later living in townships and eventually studying in Pretoria. Along that journey, she witnessed how many girls and women struggled to access affordable, quality sanitary products regardless of where they lived. Those experiences became the foundation of a business focused on providing products that meet the needs and budgets of women while promoting dignity and confidence.
Her achievements have earned recognition beyond this year’s award. She previously received the inaugural BIS Conference Award in 2022 and was named Entrepreneur of the Year in the Business Partners Emerging Entrepreneur category in 2023.
The 2026 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award winners were announced during a ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff in Johannesburg on 15 July. Now in its 54th year globally, the award honours women who demonstrate bold leadership and innovation while creating lasting impact in business and society. Established in 1972 to mark the 200th anniversary of Veuve Clicquot, the programme now recognises entrepreneurs across 27 countries and continues to provide winners with access to a global community of business leaders committed to building lasting legacies.
