Reusable Pads for Rural Girls & Women
Wheels Global’s Health group’s mission is to provide affordable healthcare solutions to India’s more than 800 million rural and underserved population. The poverty, lack of healthcare facilities, lack of water and sanitation facilities, and lack of infrastructure exacerbate the problems.
Reusable Pads for Rural Girls & Women using Banana Fibre
About Saukhyam
Saukhyam is the world’s first team making reusable menstrual pads using banana fiber as absorbent to make safe and eco-friendly period products accessible and affordable for the millions of young girls and women who are not able to use them even in this day and age. The focus is Rural girls and women, and the pads are available online.
Problem Statement
Millions of women globally lack access to safe and affordable menstrual hygiene products. Conventional disposable pads contribute to environmental pollution and pose health risks due to harmful chemicals.
Solution & Uniqueness
♦ Eco-friendly: Banana fiber pad is a renewable & biodegradable
♦ Cost-effective: Last for years
♦ Healthier: No harsh chemicals, reducing allergies and irritation.
♦ Made by women, for women: Empowering rural women workers
Saukhyam in News
♦ A novel banana fiber pad for menstrual hygiene in India: a feasibility and acceptability study – Read the article published in Biomecentral
Scale of Opportunity
♦ Reached over 500,000 beneficiaries & built India’s largest reusable pad factory.
♦ Building a factory in Kerala with an annual capacity of 1 million reusable pads.
♦ Partnerships with government and CSR initiatives for wider reach.
♦ Inspiring entrepreneurship through training and microfinance.
Deployment Updates
WHEELS and Saukhyam’s collaboration resulted in a very successful pilot and adoption at Bharati Vidyapeeth, and then Dr. Varsha Vaidya featured the solution at the stall (which WHEELS sponsored) at the Jammu Conference, which led to an introduction to Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth, which is now conducting a formal study on health impacts.
Dr. Varsha of Dept. of Community Medicine didn’t just coordinate sponsorship and identify beneficiaries; she ensured the Sanitation Moushis received accurate, practical information from those who actually use reusable pads.
Read more in the links below:
♦ Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth is conducting a formal study on health impacts
WGF leaders providing oversight:
Ratan Agarwal
Call To Action
▸SPREAD the word about the organization’s activities among your contacts
▸INVEST and contribute towards the organization’s mission
▸SHARE your knowledge or expertise on any of the following: Reusable Sanitary pads, Menstrual Hygiene, Environment, Safe Disposal, Entrepreneurship
▸VOLUNTEER with any of the organization’s activities
▸WRITE about the organization’s work to share among the external audience
To contribute to Saukhyam’s activities, click to visit the website.
