WARANGAL: Women groups in Konaimakula village of Geesugonda mandal in Warangal district is drawing inspiration from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and have embarked on a journey to manufacture sanitary napkins for local women.
What began as a small initiative soon transformed into a full-fledged industry, complete with a manufacturing unit right in their village. These women have not only showcased their empowerment but have also inspired others to follow suit. Three women were the driving force behind this initiative: N Subhashini, G Komalatha, and K Rama.
They secured a loan through the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEG), of `15 lakh, and set up a sanitary napkin manufacturing unit.
With these funds, they procured machinery and raw materials required for production of sanitary napkins. Their product, named ‘She Care,’ received positive feedback from neighbouring villages.
Subhashini said, “We noticed women and young girls in remote rural areas using white cloth during menstruation due to their inability to afford sanitary napkins and a lack of awareness about hygiene. This practice led to severe health complications and even forced many girls to drop out of school on reaching puberty. Determined to make a change, we have acquired machinery to produce high-quality sanitary pads, ultimately succeeding in bringing the product to market. We express gratitude to district collector P Pravinya and other authorities for their support.”
G Komalatha said they promoted awareness against the use of cloth during menstruation in schools and hostels. “We explained associated health risks and told them to use ‘She Care’ sanitary pads. It is competitively priced at `36 per pack of six pads in the retail market and `33 for bulk orders from merchants in surrounding villages,” she said and urged the State government to provide hygienic kits to girls in government schools. “We are ready to supply sanitary napkins to the government for distribution to girls in schools,” she said.