Health

Breaking The Cycle: Women’s Health Campaign

Several hundreds of thousand girls drop out of school each year at menarche. Almost 200 million women from ‘below poverty line’ families work for daily wages or are street vendors. A significant population of these women are unable to afford clean, safe sanitary products; they use cloth, newspapers or rags as sanitary pads during menses, which can cause infection and discomfort. Furthermore, owing to unstable incomes & social taboos, 70% of these women lack access to health education and timely healthcare. Scientists & Co. partnered with with MAA (Maternal Aid Association) to co-create ‘Breaking The Cycle’, an educational campaign on women’s health in March 2023. We reached out to these women at their place of work or study to impart knowledge & awareness about health, safety & hygiene. Safe, reusable, eco- friendly sanitary pads were distributed free-of-cost, thus saving them costs & empowering them to continue their life as normal. Our campaign as thus far covered 5 Indian states (Harayana, Telangana, Orissa, Karnataka & Tamil Nadu) and the National Capital Region. We have engaged with 2409 women working for daily-wages, dwelling in slums, employed in factories and as municipality workers, and girls in government colleges. This campaign will continue through the year until International Women’s Day in 2024.