Satara: The Tanishka Foundation at Medha in Jawali taluka (Satara district) has recently launched an eco-friendly Nirmal Sanitary Napkins project, aimed at ensuring women’s health and hygiene. The project has also generated employment for women in the village. Since no chemical substances are used in the making of napkins, the demand for Nirmal’ napkins is growing.

The unit came up after Tanishka members learnt about the health problems faced by local women, when they worked with the Shramik Mahila Bachat Gat (women’s self-help group). They were guided by NABARD officers. Shramik Janata Vikas Sanstha, UNICEF, and Maharashtra Entrepreneurship Development Centre also extended help.

Women workers were formally trained in napkin-making. The capital was raised through Bank of Baroda and through the self-help group’s own savings. The machinery was brought from Tamil Nadu, while the raw material was procured from Sangli and Solapur.

Working under the guidance of Tanishka’s Medha forum chief Neha Kulkarni, Sakshi Umbarkar, Pratibha Deshmukh, and Jayashree Vangde, the Nirmal Sanitary Napkin unit has maintained strict quality control. It has already been well-received in the local market. The Forum members are now eyeing the markets outside Medha.