-The Hindu
Ten members of the Isiri Self-Help Group (SHG) at Layla village of Belthangady taluk were trained by an NGO to manufacture sanitary napkins with cotton made from wood pulp. The sanitary napkins were less than half an inch thick and were called Safety and are priced at Rs. 15 for a pack of five.
Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K.N. Vijay Prakash told presspersons here on Wednesday that over Rs. 4 lakh of the Rs. 7.33 lakh of the cost of the manufacturing unit was borne by the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) while the rest was contributed by the SHG.
The cost of producing one sanitary napkin was Rs. 1.92 and a pack of five sanitary napkins was about Rs. 10. However, it would be sold at Rs. 15, of which Rs. 5 would go into the revolving fund of the SHG. Mr. Prakash said the zilla panchayat had plans to make these sanitary napkins available to students of all government-run hostels and higher primary schools. Of the 3,745 girls studying in hostels run by the Social Welfare, Backward Classes and Minorities departments, and in Morarji Desai Residential Schools, 1,500 girls had attained puberty. Similarly, there were 79,000 girls studying in higher primary schools in the district. Mr. Prakash said the zilla panchayat had decided to construct special toilets in 62 schools for girls.
President of the Isiri SHG Usha G. said that she considered her job to be a means for change.