LADY WINGS SANITARY NAPKIN PROJECT

Project Background

According to research over 80% of women in India do not use sanitary napkins. Sanitary napkins are generally unavailable in rural areas of the country and if available, they are too expensive for rural households to afford.

Therefore, women resort to age-old alternatives like cloth, ashes, and husk sand during menstruation. These substitutes are not only extremely uncomfortable but also the cause of various diseases and infections, some of which have lifelong effects.

Unhygienic menstrual practices can affect the health of the girls/women and there is an increased vulnerability to reproductive tract infections and pelvic inflammatory diseases and other complications.

The issue of menstrual hygiene is inadequately acknowledged and has not received proper attention. Good hygienic practices, such as use of sanitary pads and adequate washing of the genital areas, are essential during menstruation period. Women and girls of reproductive age need access to clean and soft absorbent sanitary products which in the long run protect their health from various infections. To this effect, the practice of good menstrual hygiene reduces the incidence of reproductive tract infection (RTI). Every year approximately 10 % of women worldwide are exposed to genital infections including urinary tract infections.

As there are lots of myth and taboo associate with menstruation and also due to lack of education, rural women are not aware of the consequence of unhealthy sanitation nor are they keen to discuss about menstruation related problem in the open.

Rural female will almost never ask a male shopkeeper for a packet of sanitary napkin. Even in the urban area, females are also hesitant to purchase napkins.

Lack of accessibility and awareness are two common factors which further hinder the usage of napkin. Affordability is another issue in rural India where there is a constant fight for survival; usages of sanitary napkin become a want more than need.

Project Objectives: 

• To provide low cost sanitary napkins with high quality
• To improve economic conditions of women and provide them the opportunities for augmenting their income
• To create awareness among rural girls & women on issues of menstrual hygiene management.

Project Justification

Women from rural area are not using sanitary napkin due lack of awareness, non-availability at village level, high cost of marketed napkins and also shame to buy it from male shop keeper when available. To overcome these all reason and to make women and girls to use sanitary pad for better menstrual hygiene, Gram Vikas trust start Lady Wings sanitary napkin- for women by women program. In Lady Wings program high quality low cost sanitary napkin prepared by a group of women and also sale by women at village level. This makes sanitary napkins both accessible and affordable to women by women in this region and also eliminate the shame involve during purchase from male shopkeeper. Simultaneously this program encourages women empowerment and to dream beyond.

With the help of SHG members, ASHA worker, local leader or any other NGO in the village UTTISHTHA FOUNDATION/DFT run campaigns to create awareness among adolescent girls and women about the importance of hygienic sanitation practices. We also discussed and explain the truth behind every myth and taboo. We encourage them to use clean napkins regularly and dispose of used ones properly. We also promote basic practices like washing hands after using the toilet.

Project Goals

Basic menstrual awareness and easy accessibility of low cost high quality sanitary napkin at village level is our prime goal.  Through sanitary napkin program we want to reach more than 1, 00,000 women and girls in Bharuch  & Vadodara District 1st phase. Awareness about menstrual hygiene will empower girls and women to take control over their health, livelihood and enables girls to pursue higher education beyond the onset of menstruation.