In the villages surrounding Pardada Pardadi, most women do not have access (or money) for sanitary pads. As a result, these women use rags, risking vaginal and urinary tract infections (and thus illness, incontinence, and infertility) during every period from puberty to menopause. Rags to Pads is a project designed to provide low-cost sanitary pads to students and female staff as well as create employment opportunities for women in a region that has almost none.
Through individual donations, Pardada Pardadi raised $5,000 to purchase a machine and supplies to manufacture pads, as well as train five girls on how to use the machine. As of February 2009, the machine was up and running, and the first batch of pads was sold. Pardada Pardadi will use the proceeds to continue to manufacture additional pads.
We will continue to provide updates as this new project develops.
