The Asani Sanitary Napkin Program, led by the Desai Foundation, stands at the forefront of improving menstrual health management (MHM) in underserved communities in rural India. This women-centric, community-based initiative not only aims to dismantle the deep-seated stigma around menstruation but also provides biodegradable sanitary napkins, fostering livelihood opportunities for women and girls.
In rural India, the lack of menstrual hygiene education and access to hygienic period products hinders women's health, education, and the ability to make informed choices about their bodies and lives. Societal stigmas and a culture of shame surrounding menstruation compound these challenges. The Desai Foundation works with local communities, facilitators, and multi-sectoral partners to improve access to education and safe menstrual products, thereby empowering women and girls.
Our approach is comprehensive, involving the production of eco-friendly, biodegradable sanitary napkins coupled with an extensive MHM awareness campaign. We engage all community members, including boys and men, to support and understand the importance of menstrual hygiene. The program also opens up income-generating opportunities for women, enhancing their economic empowerment.
Our vision is to expand our reach significantly, impacting millions more. This includes increasing the production of biodegradable sanitary napkins to meet growing demand, scaling up educational programs to foster financial independence and health awareness, and strengthening community ties to ensure menstrual health is not a barrier to opportunity.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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