On 11th July 2018 in Haiderpur, Delhi, Habitat India’s first sanitary napkin production unit was launched in association with Roca Bathroom Products Pvt Ltd. Mr. Ranganathan, Managing Director, Roca Bathroom Products Pvt Ltd, Ms. Swati Manchikanti, WASH specialist, UNICEF, Ms. Vanadana Kumari, MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly, Shalimar Bagh Constituency), and Mr. Sujit Thakur (Councilor, Shalimar Bagh Constituency) were present for the inauguration along with the Habitat India team - Mr. Suneel Padale, Senior Director, Programs, Mr. Justin Jebakumar, Director - Delhi Program Implementation Office and Ms. Soma Dixit, Senior Manager, Programs.
Habitat India started this initiative with support from We are Water Foundation – Roca and Sahyog Care for You, not just to promote menstrual hygiene, but also to push for women's economic and financial development and independence.
This project hopes to empower women from economically underprivileged sections of society and encourage their learning about menstrual hygiene management. Since the women are manufacturing the sanitary napkins, they have access to the pads at a lower cost, which incentivizes them to spread the message about menstrual hygiene management within the community. Women belonging to the same community have more access and influence in the community for idea and lesson dissemination. With the availability of sanitary napkins, women will have better menstrual hygiene management.
