The Challenge

Menstruation is a highly stigmatized, critical social and health issue in rural India. Many women and girls in these regions do not have access to sanitary pads. As a result, it is common for girls to stop attending school when they start their periods and for women and girls to contract infections and other serious illnesses from using makeshift materials like rags to manage to bleed. The stigma surrounding periods and lack of resources obstructs not only access to good health but opportunity.

The Solution

The Asani Sanitary Napkin Program trains women to manufacture and distribute high-quality, low-cost sanitary napkins throughout their communities. This empowers girls and women to take control over their health and livelihoods and enables girls to pursue higher education beyond the onset of menstruation.

Our solution attacks all facets of this huge issue: Stigma, Education, and Access.

The Lasting Impact

Our brand of sanitary napkins is called Asani, which means “with ease,” because something so natural shouldn’t be so hard to take care of. Our program creates lifelong good habits that can have major impacts on the health of girls and women. Our unique methodology allows for women to participate in our program in a flexible way, in the role that speaks most to them. We work to cultivate dignity for those we serve so they can break free from the stigma and shame, stay in school, and participate in the workforce.