Navi Mumbai: Making the Difference, an NGO that works for needy and underprivileged sections of society has associated underprivileged women in manufacturing disposable sanitary pads in Navi Mumbai. The NGO will also train them in making disposable sanitary pads and later employment.
Many sanitary pads made up using materials such as super absorbent polymers, non-biodegradable plastic, and glue takes up to 500 - 800 years to decompose. The disposal of such plastic pads is a huge concern. Making the Difference has come forward with a sustainable solution.
Pilling of garbage is turning into a mountain in many cities and the concerned agencies are struggling to deal with it. Another piece of garbage in the form of sanitary pads is getting accumulated in the midst of a lot of garbage and it takes years to dispose of.
“In order to get rid of this problem, Making the Difference has been making people aware for the last few years through the project "Lajja" (now why shame),” said Deepak Vishwakarma, founder and president of Making the Difference.
Lack of basic women’s hygiene requirements
According to Making the Difference, in India, 40 Crore women populations are on menstruating cycle out of which only 18% (7.2 Crore) women have adopted the hygienic product. Thus, there are approximately 82% (32.8 Crore) of women are not either aware of or have access to the basic women’s hygiene requirements.
A centre Crafting Lives was inaugurated on February 14 in Pawne in Navi Mumbai where local women will be given training in making of disposable sanitary pads. The initiative received support in the form of CSR funds from Inorbit.
“Inspired by the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Making the Difference organization is training women to make reusable sanitary napkins under Project Crafting Lives in association with Inorbit Mall Vashi,” said Geeta Khatri from AVP Retail Design and Development, Inorbit.
Interestingly, the sanitary pads to be made at the centre can be reused.
“At present, training programme has been started with around 10 local women and post training, they will join the team in making sanitary pads and also earning for their families,” said a trainer at the centre.
