NAMSAI, 11 Aug: An awareness programme on menstrual hygiene and a medical camp were organized by the NABARD under NAB Foundation’s ‘My Pad, My Right’ initiative in collaboration with the Arunachal State Rural Livelihood Mission (ArSRLM) and BMMU, Chongkham for self help groups (SHGs) of Aalubari area here on Wednesday.
The initiative encourages rural women to turn menstrual hygiene into a livelihood opportunity by taking up sanitary napkin manufacturing as a livelihood project at their own level. The decentralized model will enable women to access pads locally within the comfortable environment of other women.
Speaking on the occasion, ArSRLM BMM Juspin Karketa informed that the initiative will provide income generation opportunities to SHGs and promote menstrual hygiene among rural women.
NABARD DDM Kamal Roy highlighted the aims and objectives of the medical camp for SHGs and stated that the project puts utmost emphasis on enhancing rural women’s knowledge and skills in hygiene-related aspects, sanitary napkin production and related business activities.
Nursing officer Sangeeta Deori spoke about hygienic practices during menstruation which can prevent infection in the reproductive and urinary tract of women.
CEO of NOSAAP, a farmers’ producers’ company, Chau Athina Chauhai spoke about various aspects of marketing for sanitary pads. He also assured to collaborate with the SHGs and ArSRLM to provide a platform through marketing outlets and rural marts.
Later, during the medical camp, Bandhan SHG distributed sanitary pads to all participants for free.
