International Day for the Girl Child - Sanitary Napkin Van in Pune

[TusharSuradkar]

Today, October 11th is the International Day for the Girl Child. Besides education and social well-being, menstrual hygiene for the girl child is equally important. With this in mind, there are several vans stationed on the streets of Pune that provide sanitary pads or sanitary napkins free of cost for women who need them.

These are discarded city buses and are painted pink and one such vending bus is on the Baner road close to where I live in Pune. These are operated by an NGO lead by Mr. Umesh who talked to me over the phone. The lady attendant at the van also talked at length and provided valuable information about this activity.

Although there are no homeless people in Pune or anywhere in India, not all families can afford premium commercial products that are generally either too expensive or consistently inaccessible or both. The recent lockdowns due to the pandemic only added to the problems.

As a result, menstrual hygiene is at risk. To address this issue, several free sanitary napkins or pad vending buses are stationed all over Pune. These buses are open from 8: am to 8: pm on all days of the week.

The bus is operated by a female attendant and has all facilities like water, medicine, sanitizer, storage space, a washroom, and a changing room. They promote sustainable and safe menstruation practices among the marginalized communities of Pune.

Not only do they provide the girls with menstrual products, but sessions are also conducted to address the importance of proper menstrual hygiene and sustainability. With each menstrual kit or product, they empower girls with knowledge for life.

Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernades is the brand ambassador of the ‘Raho Safe’ mission. Raho Safe means ‘Stay Safe’. They also have an android app for pre-ordering the products and for raising awareness.

Location

There are a total of 11 such vans all over the streets of Pune and the one I visited is outside the Greenpark Hotel on Baner Road. Other locations are Anand Nagar, Aundh, Hadapsar, Swargate, Chinchwad, Ganeshkhind road, etc.

None of these are yet on Google Maps and I am working to add them to Google Maps.

Accessibility Features

The bus unfortunately is not accessible since it has a few steps with no handrail or ramp.

[Gezendunyali]

Thanks for the article, I think it’s a very good application. I’ve met many people who can’t buy them because they don’t have the money. Also, it is considered a shame to use and sell them from some countries now. It’s really great to have such a service. @TusharSuradkar

[AniaKiser]

@TusharSuradkar I’m so impressed that this topic was wrote by a man! Thank you for sharing. It’s great to know that men are also aware of women’s problems. The initiative is awesome and I hope young girls can find it useful and helpful.

You’ve mentioned as well that there are no homeless people in India? Have I understood it correctly? How does India deal with this issue with such a success, while there are so many people living on the streets all over the World?

[PavelSarwar]

@TusharSuradkar Wow, That’s great initiative. We have also provided free reusable sanitary napkins to rural school girls.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you @AniaKiser for the appreciation.

I find it no surprise that the word menstruation starts with the word ‘men’, so no inhibitions for a man to write about this and highlight a place in the neighborhood that supports it.

As far as I understand the problem of homeless people in advanced economies like those in North American and Western Europe, they have roots in primarily drug abuse and probably mental imbalance, so addressing them in spite of having loads of money is still a challenge.

In India, the cause of homelessness is simply lack of money or financial poverty.

With the economy booming for the past 2 decades, India now is among the top 5 economies of the world, so the government simply provides the poor people with shelter which solves the problem.

Hundreds of thousands of Hindu and Sikh temples serve free food 24x7 so the hunger problem is virtually non-existent. I personally donate to temples liberally, just like any other Indian citizen.

As a result, there are few or no homeless people in India and if ever you see any on the streets out here, be aware they are only criminals pretending to be beggars. It is advisable to stay away from them.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you @Gezendunyali for the feedback,

Female fertility worship is in fact a universally accepted practice in the Indian culture.

The Kamakhya Temple is the largest Hindu temple that worships menstruation and fertility.

A long time ago poverty was a major hurdle for the proliferation of hygienic menstrual practices but during the past few decades with the economic progress that India has made and getting into the top 5 economies of the world has solved this problem too. The 11 vans mentioned in the post are all sounded or subsidized by the government.

Please see my other reply to Ania about the shame associated with menstruation which again does not exist in India.

[TusharSuradkar]

This is highly appreciated @PavelSarwar being involved in such a noble activity.

Do you also have a Connect post for this topic? I am looking on your profile page.

[Rohan10]

Wonderful topic and written very nicely. I have not seen such bus in mumbai. Very nice initiative. Great to know about this service for women in Pune. Thanks for sharing @TusharSuradkar .

[BudiFXW]

Hai @TusharSuradkar thank you for sharing about Sanitary napkin Van.

I just want to share my experience to all of you @PavelSarwar , @AniaKiser , @Sophia_Cambodia , @SalmaanN , @GasparKaren , @Nadia-DIANA , @Niv1234 and @Gezendunyali back there when I was point out as Production Superintendent at Electronic Component Factory with around four hundres girls operators. During first week of duty rise a probrem that never facing before in others factory with male operators.

Girls Reproductive matters, where menstrual period is can be started with no schedule or pre planning.

Company only support sanitary napkins with quantity that last only in three days.

When menstrual period come the girl and can not find sanitary napkin immidiately, it will affect her, she can not work comfortably and will impaact her performance and at the end of the day will impact quality and productivity.

So I start to talk heart to heart with girls who need sanitary napkin asking to donate one or two sanitary napkins for their co workers.

Some are mad at the first time and yelling at me that it is not her problems, company should prepared for her.

Slowly I try to make understand what is your feeling when you cannot find sanitary napkin in the time you needed mosts, please help your coworker not to facing the same problems.

The day after she came to me with a smile and donate some sanitary napkins.

The good words spread out fast, it become a routine daily in the morning some girls workers come to me with her beautifull smile and during the day some gils run to me and with a shy smile and give a code word that she need a sanitary napkins.

It is workng for two months or three the Leader of the group of around twenty working girls take over this activity, because all the leaders committ not to bothering with this matter.

What is your experience @Nyainurjanah , since you still working in a big factory and thousands girl/woman co workers.

[NareshDarji]

It’s a really noble initiative started by our government @TusharSuradkar .

Here in Gujarat our government has started smart public toilets. In these public toilets ladies can easily find the sanitary pads at just rupees 5 from automatic machine.

Thanks for sharing this post.

[PavelSarwar]

@TusharSuradkar I have shared few links for your reference

Local Guides responsibility for the girls and women for a safe period.

Lets celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day 2021

Sanitary Napkins at the door steps

[Shrut19]

नमस्कार,

** @TusharSuradkar **

दादा, तुझे विशेष कौतुक, तु हा इतका महत्त्वाचा विषय इथे शेअर केलास, धन्यवाद…

खुप छान उपक्रम आहे…

[abhishekpatk]

Superb post! Wonderful topic and very well written. @TusharSuradkar

[KalyanPal]

One of the good post for women health-hygiene. In Kolkata I have never seen such type of bus. Buy, there are some NGO and social awareness worker who take such type of initiative.

Thank you @TusharSuradkar for sharing with us.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you @Rohan10 for the appreciation.

[TusharSuradkar]

That is a great initiative @BudiFXW and a nice incident.

When employees are cared for especially the women employees, they work like a family.

Thank you for sharing this

[TusharSuradkar]

I can confirm this @NareshDarji

If you check the Google Maps location of this place, someone has marked it as a mobile toilet.

So I think it was earlier a public toilet now converted to a women’s van.

See this:

https://goo.gl/maps/5D2WJjt33qL5Vhz88

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the links @PavelSarwar

All activities are highly commendable and appreciated

[TusharSuradkar]

अभिप्राया बद्दल धन्यवाद @Shrut19 ताई

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the feedback and appreciation dear @abhishekpatk , @KalyanPal