Two friends mission to create awareness about women health

Distribute free sanitary pads every month to create awareness about menstrual hygiene

Several organisations in Vadodara are running gruh udyogs of making sanitary pads and provide employment to them. Many of them also distribute them free of cost in slum areas to spread awareness in women to use them as part of their personal hygiene.

A 14 year old girl along with her friend is distributing sanitary pads free of cost in slum areas of her area. She is using from her own pocket money savings in this work.

May 28th is celebrated as Menstrual Hygiene Day with an aim to spread the awareness about personal hygiene and taboos attached to it. Jasmine Sharma, who lives on Vasana-Bhayali Road in Vadodara is also doing the same. She distributes free sanitary pads every month in her area and nearby slums by using her savings from the pocket money. Her friend Krishna Patel is explaining the importance of sanitary pads and raises awareness among adolescents, young girls and women about female related problems as well as diseases.

The duo of Jasmine Sharma and Krishna Patel is a well known name in slum areas. Adolescents, young girls and women living in slum areas and using sanitary pads are waiting for them when their menstrual period comes. Both these girls also reaches out to give sanitary pads to them according to their register.

Jasmin Sharma said, her mother Mamta Sharma told her that menstruating teenagers, young women and women have a hard time during the time. Even today women and girls living in slum areas use clothes due to economic situation or lack of awareness. This made her think to do something in this area and started saving from the pocket money. She brought sanitary pads and distribute them free of cost in Vuda houses and also in the surrounding slum area.

Jasmine further said that giving sanitary pads does not complete the work so she along with her friend Krishna Patel are providing information about the importance and also raising awareness about women's issues and ailments. They have been running this campaign for the last two years under the auspices of "Chiraiya Foundation". They are providing free sanitary pads to about 300 adolescents, girls and women in the slum area every month and bring awareness in them.

Krishna Patel, who works to raise awareness among adolescents, young women and women about gynecological diseases, including sanitary pads, said that sanitary pads have been prepared by various organizations and also provided employment to the women. She along with her friend Jasmine giving sanitary pads for free in slum areas and also working to raise awareness about gynecological diseases. They want to reach out to people who are still hesitate to buy sanitary pads in shops and medical stores.