During August-October 2024, Team Saukhyam reached out to young girls in Kanyakumari’s rural communities through awareness sessions focusing on menstrual health, the benefits of reusable menstrual products, and overall wellness.These sessions, attended by 1,644 school and college students, highlighted the impact that sustainable choices can have on their health and lives. With many years of menstruation ahead, the students were eager to learn about options beyond disposable products and the potential health risks these products can pose over time.

The awareness sessions were conducted as part of a project undertaken in collaboration with SIDBI Swavalamban Challenge. Many of the sessions were organised at colleges affiliated with Unnat Bharat Abhiyaan of the Govt of India, which encourages educational institutions to adopt villages in the vicinity.

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"The students’ curiosity underscored how little awareness there is about the harm disposable menstrual products, often laced with chemicals, can have on health. Some girls were surprised to learn that disposable sanitary napkins could contribute to health conditions like PCOS, a syndrome that has become increasingly common but is still not widely discussed," shared VajraAmirtha, who led many of the workshops.

"Interestingly, while a few college students had little knowledge about PCOS, some 12-year-olds were already aware of the dangers of PCOS from social media, underscoring the role of digital platforms in spreading health information," VajraAmirtha added.

Overall, the response from the sessions revealed a growing awareness and a readiness among young individuals to make informed choices for a better tomorrow.