SAKSHAM

Under a CSR grant from Envalior India Private Limited , Social Seva Initiatives in collaboration with Badlaav Social Reform Foundation conducted Menstrual Health Awareness Sessions at a school in Wagholi, Pune. These sessions aimed to educate and empower girls from Grades 5 to 10 with knowledge about Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and sustainable period products.

Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) remains a significant challenge in low-income communities in India. Deep-seated taboos and cultural stigmas surrounding menstruation, coupled with a lack of awareness about sustainable period products, perpetuate the struggle.

A survey conducted in 2019-21 by NFHS highlights that about quarter of over 355 million menstruators in India, a significant portion of whom belong to the urban population, are unable to use a sanitary products during their menstrual cycle. However, this data reflects only menstruators aged 15-24, indicating the real numbers may be even more concerning. This situation worsened during the pandemic, as income reductions hindered access to sanitary pads.

Additionally, an estimated 21,780 million conventional sanitary pads containing plastic are disposed of annually in India. This generates plastic waste and complicates menstrual waste management. In urban areas, pads are often flushed, causing sewage blockages, or are mixed with municipal solid waste without proper segregation, resulting in pollution of nearby water bodies and prolonged degradation in landfills.