3. Need for Menstrual Hygiene**
In-case of poor menstrual hygiene:
• Increased Risk of infection (including
sexually transmitted infection) is higher
than normal during menstruation
(Urinary tract infections UTIs/RTIs) are
bacterial infections
• Yeast infections such as Thrush
(Candidiasis)
• Using unclean rags leads to the growth
of unwanted bacteria that could lead
to infection
• The risk of passing on blood-borne
diseases such as Hepatitis B Virus
(HBV), which causes serious liver
disease & Human Immune Deficiency
Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS.
**Menstrual hygiene matters. Sarah House, Thérèse
3
Mahon and Sue Cavill
4. Need for Menstrual Hygiene**
Social, educational and economic
impacts of menstrual hygiene:
• Dignity – It is crucial for girls and
women to feel empowered to engage in
regular daily work without much
discomfort. and other daily activities and
not hide away or have limitations in their
movements due to menstruation.
• Education – Lack of menstrual hygiene
services can lead to girls missing school.
• Loss of Economic Opportunity – Due
to monthly illness women lose out on
economic opportunity.
**Menstrual hygiene matters. Sarah House, Thérèse
Mahon and Sue Cavill
4
5. Current Blood Absorption Methods
Facts:
• One out of every five women (18 %)
had menstruation related problems
during the last three months preceding
the survey**
• Eight out of every ten (85.5%)
unmarried women had painful periods
-mainly caused due to unhygienic
practices.
• 10% had irregular period while 6.2% of
the women had problems like frequent
or short periods
• The practices followed during
menstruation period to absorb blood are
important from the consideration
of UTI/RTI (Urinary tract infections) and
personal hygiene.
5
7. Steps taken by Government of India
Saloni Swasth Kishori Yojana
• Uttar Pradesh has identified 13 priority districts to take up
menstrual hygiene scheme amongst school going adolescent
girls. -Additional 3 new districts (i.e. Amethi, Sambhal &
Shamli )are being taken up this year.
• To mobilize Self Help Groups, in selected districts, Rs. 5.00
Lacs was budgeted.
• Monthly Saloni Sabhas to be held on health, hygiene &
nutrition behaviors. Girls from rural areas going to the school
will be trained and advised to use and properly dispose-off
these sanitary napkins by the trained school teachers.
• Menstrual Hygiene and Intervention for Non School Going
Girls has been planned under ASHAs, ARSH, Media and
SABLA scheme .
• Sanitary napkins were to be provided by GOI and distributed
through ASHA and ARSH workers at Saloni Sabhas .
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8. Other GOI schemes on Menstrual Health
•Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) ,MoWCD
•SABLA : Raiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment
of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG )
•The National Population Policy 2000 called
for developing an adolescent health package.
• Ensuring that adolescent girls (10- 19 years) in rural
areas have adequate knowledge and information about
menstrual hygiene and the use of sanitary napkins.
• This scheme is being launched in 152 districts across
20 states in the first phase.
• The Ministry is procuring sanitary napkin packs from
Hindustan Lever Limited for 107 districts and would
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be supplied at the block level.
9. Why should RGF Intervene ?
The NRHM SAP 12-13 has highlighted
an issue that presents a opportunity for
RGF to intervene as the cause is in line
with the foundation’s vision.
1. Facilitate teenage women to attend
school more regularly.
2. Improve health and social life of a large
section of women.
3. Increase economic productivity of
women & facilitate poverty alleviation.
4. Social Initiative Focused on women
producing ripple effect in the entire
society.
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10. Benefits for women
• Paves way for hygienic way of life.
• Improved health.
• Provides means of income to SHGs.
• Reduced loss of man-days and
increased attendance in school.
• Reduction in complications at
maternity.
• Greater dignity.
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12. Suggested Implementation Model
Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and its associated institutions would play the role of
a facilitator and empower women to take necessary action on Menstrual Health.
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13. The Machine
Header Requirement
Electricity Single Phase Power for 1hp motor
Space 3.5m x 3.5 m
Cost of Machine Rs. 75,000/ machine (Inclusive of Tax & Installation Cost)
Machine Operation Wood fiber (raw material) is de-fibrated, core formed and sealed with
soft touch sensitive heat control, giving the final shape of the napkins.
Output 2 Napkins/ minute
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14. Further Information
Advertisements:
a) Encourage entrepreneurs to buy this machine- Would be done through SHGs/VOs.
b) Along with Entrepreneurs, advertise for workers and get them trained.
c) Advertise to women , so they use such napkins.- This could be done via Health Sakhis, ASHA
Workers etc. The strategy, poster and everything would be designed.
Training Modules for :
a)Train entrepreneurs and workers.
b)Faculty for initial training and develop a module to train new faculty. To replicate the model
across the country
c)1-2 days workshops to train ASHA Workers and Health Sakhis on product
COMPLETE COST WORKINGS
FOR SHGS
Microsoft Office
Word 97 - 2003 Document 14
15. SUCCESS STORY : TOTAL SANITATION CAMPAIGN : TAMIL NADU
• In a move to encourage school-girls in
rural areas to continue school after
puberty, a program was launched to
encourage the use of sanitary napkins.
• Cost of popular brands of napkins
discouraged adolescent girls from
using napkins, so they had to depend
on improvised material which were not
very effective. So, the girls simply
skipped classes on period days.
• 360 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) were
trained in napkin production.
• Today, SHGs in 18 districts make and
sell the napkins at a price of Rs 20 per
packet of 10 napkins. These products
sell well.
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