Undergraduates visit Dahanu, distribute 1000 kits containing reusable sanitary pads, instructional charts in Marathi, and bars of soap
Programmes on menstrual hygiene held by students of HR College in Dahanu in September. Pics/By Special Arrangement
While one-day visits to rural areas have been the norm for most youngsters engaging in social work, the actions of students of HR College of Commerce and Economics indicate that they are in it for the long haul. The student-led social entrepreneurship club at the college, Enactus, has been running ‘Project Inaayat’ since 2018, with an aim to make menstrual hygiene more accessible to communities that are still using alternatives like rags instead of menstrual pads.
As a result, the students went to schools and neighbourhoods in Palghar and Thane districts, such as Dahanu, Kasa, and Murbad last month to distribute 1000 kits each containing three reusable pads, an instructional chart in Marathi, and a bar of soap. “We were a group of 31 undergraduate students who went to Dahanu last month, where we spoke to women about menstruation and tried to create a free-flowing conversation around the topic,” said Nandini Agarwal, a media student and the co-president of Enactus.
Previously, the student groups have also visited Charoti village and the Nagpur Police Training Camp to spread awareness. Marathi-speaking students often take the lead when it comes to speaking, while others help create presentation decks. “The experience ends up being very overwhelming, yet rewarding, for students who visit these camps for the first time. By the end of our talk, we see the once hesitant women open up about their first period,” she added.
The students manufacture these menstrual pads with the help of an in-house team of women from neigh bourhoods around Bhiwandi, where locals come together to create these products, thereby sustaining themselves financially. Next, the students set up fundraisers in college and collect the money needed to travel to remote locations.
“While fun activities, such as dance and drama, are always a part of college life, entrepreneurship principles have always been a part of our college. Through these clubs, students get hands-on business experience, learn handovers, and, importantly, remain connected with the problems of society. It’s important, especially for this generation, to understand what's going on around them,” said Dr Pooja Ramchandani, principal of HR College.
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