Empowering Women in India at Every Stage of Life

Introduction 

The Desai Foundation’s diverse and holistic programs in health, livelihood creation, climate resilience, and menstrual equity ensure that women and girls are empowered to pursue an education or engage in meaningful livelihood with dignity and confidence at every stage of their lives: childhood, teen years, adulthood, and/or motherhood. 

Supporting Girls and Women at Every Life Stage

Childhood 

For young girls, our programs focus on instilling habits that will enable them to safeguard their health in the present and future. Our diverse health programming such as Bal Health Mela (a fun-filled fair with high-quality medical check-ups, immunizations, and nutritional support), pediatric check-up camps, and general health awareness camps ensure improved health outcomes for girls and their families.

This quarter, our health programming included:

•  Children benefited from health camps: 140,000
• Children benefited from eye check up camps: 15,000

Teen Years

At the Desai Foundation, we make it a point to educate girls and their mothers on menstruation so as to inculcate proper menstrual hygiene practices and dispel stigma and taboos. Our menstrual hygiene awareness sessions and pad distribution programs give girls the confidence to pursue an education without interruption, shame, and fear. 

This quarter, our menstrual health programming included: 

• Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Programming in schools: 800 
• Number of Asani Sanitary Pad Manufacturing Units: 5 

Adulthood

As women take on more responsibilities and may choose to enter into motherhood, The Desai Foundation’s livelihood programming provides essential career guidance, financial literacy, and maternal health camps to ensure that they not only have the information and resources to safeguard their and their children’s health, but that they are also able to pursue meaningful livelihood to support themselves and their families. 

Recently, we expanded our programming to now include climate resilience programming that meaningfully integrates rural women into India's growing renewable energy sector. Under this program, women are taught how to maintain, set-up, and repair EV Rickshaws and Solar Panels, along with assistance in securing internships and employment.

This quarter, our programming included:

• Women earning an income through our Asani Sanitary Napkin Program: 1,000
• Women reached via Gynec Health Camps: 16,000
• Women employed in the renewable energy sector: 80

Conclusion

By supporting women and girls in every stage of their lives via tailored programs that meet their unique needs, we are ensuring that they are able to live their lives with the dignity and confidence needed to pursue an education, engage in the workforce, and dream beyond their circumstances. 

Links:

• Asani Sanitary Napkin Program
• Menstrual Equity Programs
• Livelihood Programs