Organisation:
Jatan Sansthan (www.jatansansthan.org)
Location:
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Problem:
Menstruation issues are still faced by many women in India due to lack of knowledge about sanitary napkins, but it was studied that these napkins are actually hazardous to health, environment and are costly also. Men have always been excluded from menstruation in Indian society, while in reality, they should be in the center supporting women. To resolve this problem, ‘Jatan Sansthan’ makes ‘Uger Pads’ started in 2011 from cotton which is bio-degradable, reusable and does not cause any allergy.
Solution:
Ms. Lakshmi Murthy has been working in reproductive health for 32 years and now she is pursuing her doctorate in Sustainability of Menstruation Management in IIT Bombay. Her academic study is supported by her practical and real-life experience in working on menstruation. Therefore, Uger Pads include men in all their work in order to sensitize them about menstruation. There are two models: It comes at no cost if stitched from fabric harvested from users’ own old garments. Pads made from new fabrics, while priced at Rs. 720 (Prices may vary) for a pack of 6 pads, can be reused over 18 menstrual cycles. It brings the cost of one cycle use to Rs. 6 as opposed to Rs. 20 when buying a conventional sanitary pad.
Scalability and Impact:
They advocated for reusable products with NGOs across India through workshops and training session and have reached out directly to more than 20,000 women, 10,000 adolescents and 5000 boys and men through the training and awareness campaigns in the past 5 years. They want to Expand intervention on education around menstrual health and management, breaking silence over the subject and supporting local creation of products and initiate new work on menstruation and disability, which has limited attention.
Financial Requirements:
Financial
Scaling up
Awards and Recognition:
Uger Pads was nominated for the award – Index – design to improve life, 2015
The Government of India guidelines for Menstrual Health Management has listed Uger Pads as a reusable product option.