Simple, easy and healthy -Darshan Desai

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published Published on Nov 18, 2015   modified Modified on Nov 18, 2015
-Down to Earth

Gujarat trader makes affordable sanitary napkins and develops India's first machine to hygienically dispose them of Darshan Desai

SHYAM SUNDER Bedekar is a successful textile dye and chemical trader in Vadodara, Gujarat. He is also the man credited with popularising the use of sanitary napkins among the poor women in Vadodara and neighbouring areas—a commendable feat when one considers that just six per cent of women in the country use sanitary napkins, according to a November 2008 UN report. In contrast, 96 per cent women in Europe use sanitary napkins, says the report.

In 2010, the 54-year-old decided to train women in the rural areas and low-income groups in the cities to set up and manage sanitary napkin manufacturing units after he learnt about the issue from his wife Swati, who runs Vatsalya Foundation, a non-profit. Today he has 20 sanitary manufacturing units in Vadodara district and each unit employs eight to 10 women. Bedekar’s team only ensures financing and marketing of the napkins.

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Down to Earth, 15 November, 2015, http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/simple-easy-and-healthy-51703


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