Vyomini has empowered over 2 million women in rural India in menstrual wellness and sanitation.

With an aim to uplift the women menstrual healthcare ecosystem in the unorganized sectors, Vyomini Social Enterprise – A changemaking organisation that drives the ‘Woman First Prosperity for All’ via numerous initiatives organized a rural focused Menstrual Hygiene Panel discussion. Supported by SIDBI, NITCON Foundation along with the panel drove key conversations around the menstrual hygiene challenges of women working in unorganized sectors like domestic help, rag pickers, labourers, street vendors among others.

The one-day panel discussion highlighted the main obstacles and hardships that women who labour in unorganized industries confront. It actively cleared the path for Vyomini Social Enterprise to introduce “Project Swabhimaan,” which addresses menstrual hygiene concerns for women employed in the vulnerable and unorganized sector. Employer awareness, sensitization, and policy level intervention will all be made possible via Project Swabhimaan. It has been noted that the dearth of sanitary facilities in this industry makes women more susceptible to diseases and infections. Menstrual hygiene products will be readily available thanks to “Project Swabhimaan,” which will also teach women employed in the unorganized sector about proper hygiene.

Emphasizing on the significance of the program, Ms. Prachi Kaushik, Founder and Director Vyomini Social Enterprise said, “Menstrual hygiene is the most neglected aspect of women’s health, especially in the unorganized sector where access to affordable, sustainable menstrual hygiene products is inadequate. One of the important points to highlight is, some home owners do not allow their domestic help to use their restrooms. Similarly, public restrooms are often so unclean that even domestic help is unable to use them. This leads to further discrimination while creating a difficult working scenario of the domestic helps.  This goal of ‘Project Swabhimaan’ is to assist such women in meeting their personal hygiene needs and educating them about how to properly dispose of menstrual waste. Through our strategic initiatives to improve menstrual wellness and sanitation in rural India, we have improved the quality of life for over 20 lakh women. Vyomini collaborates with over 200 NGOs, focusing on capacity building and strengthening menstrual hygiene management.

Our mission with this program and project Swabhimaan is to not only improve the unorganised sector’s access to high-quality menstrual hygiene products but also to encourage rural women to talk about menstruation and hygiene in an attempt to de-stigmatize these issues”

Adding to it Mr. Shriram Meena, General Manager, SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India), said, “Vyomini Social Enterprise has been a changemaker when it comes to women empowerment and women’s health with impactful initiatives that elevate the quality of life of women. With this program, the focus is more on menstrual hygiene of women in unorganised sector, elevating their quality of life in the process. With such initiatives, Vyomini stands tall and true to their vision of Women First Prosperity for all.”

The program was executed at Community Centre Lal Bagh, Azad Pur Mandi. The keynote address was delivered by Mr Shriram Meena, General Manager, SIDBI on bridging the menstrual gap in unorganised sector followed by the briefing of ‘Project Swabhimaan’ by Mr. Anand Pandey, Project Manager, Vyomini Social Enterprise. Success Story and Experience Sharing by Ms Kumkum, Social Worker, Policy implication and way forward by Ms Prachi Kaushik, Founder and Director, Vyomini Social Enterprise.

At the end of the event, sanitary napkins were distributed and a help desk was set up for the sanitary napkins. This initiative allows women to purchase quality sanitary napkins at reasonable rates.

Since it inception in 2017, Vyomini has actively managed to provide solution to social, economic and environmental challenges. The organisation is known for creating an eco-system for the women economic & social upliftment through financial inclusion, livelihood training, entrepreneurship development programs, marketing, trading and manufacturing activities.