Social Impact

• Better menstrual practices - Women and young girls now know better and avoid using dirty cloth during their menstrual period. It is a direct result of having better knowledge about the risks of unsafe menstrual hygiene.
• Financial independence for women - The mini-factory employs several women and gives them financial independence. There are plans to set up many more mini-factories for creating employment for women and making sanitary pads accessible to all.
• Ensuring lesser school dropouts among girls - The availability of affordable sanitary pads has ensured better attendance among young girls. Fewer girls are now dropping out of school after reaching puberty than before.

Problem

Many women and young girls in rural Madhya Pradesh cannot afford to use sanitary pads as they are expensive. The daily earnings per day in rural areas is around Rs. 72, and the cost of one sanitary pad is Rs. 6. Lack of awareness of proper menstrual hygiene and the high cost of sanitary pads is making young girls and women susceptible to RTIs, UTIs, and cervical cancer.