Under a CSR grant from Envalior India Private Limited , Social Seva Initiatives in collaboration with Badlaav Social Reform Foundation conducted Menstrual Health Awareness Sessions at a school in Wagholi, Pune. These sessions aimed to educate and empower girls from Grades 5 to 10 with knowledge about Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and sustainable period products.

Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) remains a significant challenge in low-income communities in India. Deep-seated taboos and cultural stigmas surrounding menstruation, coupled with a lack of awareness about sustainable period products, perpetuate the struggle.

A survey conducted in 2019-21 by NFHS highlights that about quarter of over 355 million menstruators in India, a significant portion of whom belong to the urban population, are unable to use a sanitary products during their menstrual cycle. However, this data reflects only menstruators aged 15-24, indicating the real numbers may be even more concerning. This situation worsened during the pandemic, as income reductions hindered access to sanitary pads.

Additionally, an estimated 21,780 million conventional sanitary pads containing plastic are disposed of annually in India. This generates plastic waste and complicates menstrual waste management. In urban areas, pads are often flushed, causing sewage blockages, or are mixed with municipal solid waste without proper segregation, resulting in pollution of nearby water bodies and prolonged degradation in landfills.

• Break menstrual taboos: Create an open and stigma-free discussion around menstruation.
• Promote menstrual hygiene: Provide knowledge about hygiene practices to prevent infections and health complications.
• Introduce sustainable menstrual products: Encourage the adoption of cloth pads and menstrual cups as eco-friendly alternatives.
• Empower young girls: Build confidence among students to manage menstruation with dignity

Environmental Impact

• 5,786 kg of waste averted from landfills over the next three years.
• 7,155 kg of CO₂ emissions reduced by distributing cloth pad kits to 450 girls. - 5.3 kg CO₂e/year × 450 individuals × 3 years

Social Impact

• Improved health & hygiene of 850+ students – Access to sustainable menstrual products helps reduce the risk of infections and rashes caused by prolonged use of disposable pads.
• Better waste management – Schools and households generate less menstrual waste, leading to cleaner surroundings and reduced burden on waste disposal systems.
• Breaking menstrual taboos – Open discussions on menstrual health empower young girls to manage their periods with confidence, reducing stigma and misinformation.
• Sustainable behavioral change – By introducing cloth pads, the initiative encourages long-term shifts towards eco- friendly and health-conscious menstrual practices.

Economic Impact

• ₹12,15,000 saved – Assuming each girl spends at least ₹75 per month on sanitary pads, the adoption of reusable cloth pads significantly reduces this recurring expense.

Your donations will enable us to support more women and scale this initiative. Please reach out if you're interested in more information on how exactly your funds will be used.

Please use one of the following methods to donate to this cause. We can only accept donations from local indian accounts and NRE/NRO accounts. Donations are 80G detuctible, please contact us for the 80G receipt.

Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. We can be reached at contact@socialseva.org and +91 9860073882.