Stree Swabhiman: Empowering Women with Dignity and Health

What is Stree Swabhiman?

Stree Swabhiman, which translates to “Women’s Dignity”, is an initiative of the UDGI Foundation focused on:

• Breaking the silence around menstruation

• Promoting affordable and accessible sanitary products

• Empowering rural women to become health entrepreneurs

• Creating awareness through education, training, and dialogue

This project is aligned with SDG Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

Why It Matters

According to national surveys:

• Over 60% of girls in rural India still use cloth, ashes, or husk instead of sanitary napkins.

• 1 in 5 girls drops out of school after starting menstruation.

• Menstrual health is rarely discussed openly in homes and communities.

The Stree Swabhiman program tackles these issues head-on, with a strategy rooted in education, access, and empowerment.

Key Objectives

1. Menstrual Health Awareness

   • Conducting workshops in schools, colleges, villages, and slums

   • Using visual aids, storytelling, and scientific information

   • Involving mothers, teachers, and community leaders

2. Affordable Sanitary Pad Distribution

   • Distributing biodegradable, low-cost sanitary pads

   • Reaching low-income and rural areas

   • Reducing dependency on unsafe traditional methods

3. Women-Led Pad Manufacturing Units

   • Training Self Help Groups (SHGs) and women entrepreneurs

   • Setting up sanitary napkin micro-units in villages

   • Generating local employment and creating sustainable supply chains

4. School-Based Interventions

   • Organizing “Health Days” and hygiene drives

   • Providing girls with menstrual kits

   • Creating safe sanitation facilities and awareness clubs in government schools

How It Works

• 💼 Train Women in pad-making, sales, and hygiene education

• 🩺 Collaborate with local health workers to amplify outreach

• 🧕🏽 Empower adolescent girls through peer education and workshops

• 🌱 Promote eco-friendly pads to reduce environmental impact

• 🧼 Focus on hygiene, nutrition, and self-care in every session

Impact Snapshot

✅ 10,000+ sanitary pads distributed
✅ 100+ awareness workshops held in rural schools and villages

✅ 20+ adolescent girls trained as “Health Ambassadors”

Real Stories of Impact

🌸 Meena from Sambhal

Meena, a 17-year-old girl from a small village in Sambhal, was missing school every month due to lack of awareness and sanitary products. After attending a Stree Swabhiman session, she not only resumed school regularly but also started educating her friends. Today, she is a youth volunteer who distributes free pads in her village.

🌸 Ruksana from Moradabad

Ruksana, a housewife from Moradabad, joined the sanitary pad unit started under Stree Swabhiman. Within a year, she was earning a stable income, and proudly educating other women about menstrual hygiene.

Collaborations & Partnerships

Stree Swabhiman is implemented in collaboration with:

• Local ASHA workers and Anganwadi centers

• CSR partners and local government bodies

• Schools and Panchayats

• National campaigns like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao

The Road Ahead

The UDGI Foundation aims to:

• Expand Stree Swabhiman to 100+ villages and 200 schools

• Introduce Menstrual Health Digital Learning Kits

• Work with government departments for policy-level impact

How You Can Support

🤝 Partner with Us for CSR initiatives
🎓 Volunteer as a menstrual health educator
🧺 Donate menstrual kits to schoolgirls and SHGs
📣 Break the taboo by talking about periods openly

Conclusion

Stree Swabhiman is not just a health initiative — it’s a movement for dignity, dialogue, and empowerment. It’s about ensuring that no girl misses school due to menstruation and no woman feels ashamed of her body.

Because true empowerment begins with health, hygiene, and human dignity.