THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking a leaf out of Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden's "Breaking Barriers", a CSR initiative of setting up sanitary napkin vending machine and incinerators at 150 Government aided schools in his constituency, several MPs irrespective of their political leanings are setting up similar initiatives in their Lok Sabha constituencies.
Prominent MPs who have set up similar projects include Supriya Sule (NCP), Kanimozhi (DMK) and Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD).
Due to the pandemic with schools being closed down, the formal inauguration is yet to take place. Hibi had successfully set this up earlier in 25 government-aided schools in his MLA constituency in 2013.
At the recently concluded monsoon session of the Parliament, youth MP Hibi hogged the limelight when he proudly informed his colleagues of his latest initiative in his Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency.
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank released the logo on “Breaking Barriers” in New Delhi the other day.
Idea
In the majority of the schools, the issue of children dump the sanitary napkins inside the closet -- which clogs the drainage line -- has been a problem.
Once the schools reopen, Ernakulam will be the first parliamentary constituency to have all government schools equipped with sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators.
Hibi told The New Indian Express that during his tenure as Ernakulam MLA, he had coughed up a lakh for setting up the vending machine and incinerator in 2013.
“But now they cost only Rs 47, 000 which has become cost effective. Basically the idea is to break the system where the children should be aware about the cultural transformation.
'Breaking Barriers' have been set up at Rs 68.5 lakh in all the Government-aided schools in seven Assembly constituencies of Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency,” said Hibi Eden.
Earlier, some government aided schools was unable to sustain the project owing to lack of funds. Hibi intervened in such cases and kept the project running with the help of the CSR funding.
Up to 40 sanitary napkins can be availed at a time from the vending machine. Refilling the machines will become easier with the BJP Government launching a scheme to provide Suvidha pads at Re 1.
Hibi is planning to have an official inauguration of “Breaking Barriers” once the schools are reopened.