Bhopal: Priyanshi Educational, Cultural and Social Society (PECCS), Bhopal has been training women, specifically tribal women in manufacturing low-cost sanitary pads named, No Tension, since 2002. They are not only imparting training in MP but also in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh. Besides training, PECCS creates awareness about menstrual hygiene among women. They are made aware about myths regarding menstruation prevalent in society.
Dr Shalini Saxena, founder member of PECCS, told Free Press, “We have been training in manufacturing low-cost sanitary pads for 15 years. Our objective is to create awareness among women who use soiled clothes, ash, leaves etc during period and also to provide employment through this product.”
She further said, “I left government job and started working for tribal women’s empowerment. I was director in department of adult education. We started work with three members but now we have more than 80 people in our team. About 3,000 women and youths also joined us. After 7 years, we got support from MP Council of Science and Technology. I moved in whole of MP and made people aware.”
PECCS has trained 240 women in Barwani, 80 in Betul, 300 in Chhattisgarh.
According to Saxena, PECCS made pads without wings earlier, which cost Rs 20 for 8 pieces. At present, it makes pads with wings, which cost Rs 25 for 8 pieces that is cheaper than what is available in the market. “We got a pad-making machine made for Rs 1 lakh. Same machine costs Rs 12 lakh in market,”she said.
Dr Saxena also works for lepers. “Now, they’ve stopped begging. We’ve helped them to earn livelihood,” she said. Vandana Mathur, a master trainer at PECCS said, “I impart training to women from across the state. We not only inform them how to use pads but also how to dispose of,” she said.
Mathur who is from Sendhwa in Barwani district said she and other women in her native place had never heard of sanitary pads. “But when we came to know the advantages of pads, we started using them. About 500 women including my sisters started using pads,” she said.
