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Stepping into a new year is an occasion of reminiscing and celebrating new possibilities with your loved ones. This New Year, let’s extend our love to our sisters fighting strong in Bastar.

After having borne the brunt of the decades old Maoist insurgency, the beautiful district of Bastar, with its sprawling forests and vibrant culture, has seen large scale devastation and violence. And so, its people became victims, from experiencing the tragic loss of family members and homes to displacement and abuse. This year, we wish to celebrate the spirit of womanhood that stands strong in such testing times, we wish to celebrate the silent warriors. These women residing in Bastar are Adivasis, who were never exposed to education and remain illiterate. The dearth of information surrounding menstrual hygiene is thus a cause of concern. Hence, this Diwali, we wish to gift reusable sanitary pads and menstrual cups to these women with the aim of initiating discussions around this topic. According to the National Family Health Survey (2015-16) report, 48.5% women residing in villages use sanitary pads. Made of 90% plastic, these pads take 500-800 years to decompose and account for a major chunk of non biodegradable waste. Plastic sanitary pads have been long in use in Indian cities and towns, while women in rural areas used cloth. Now, government surveys show sanitary pads have trickled into rural India from the urban sphere, adding to the existing waste produced by sanitary pad usage. This increase has only exacerbated the challenges of waste management. The reusable cloth pads can be washed and reused. Menstrual cups are safe to use for as long as 10 years since purchase, and since they are made of silicone they get decomposed relatively easier. These products can be an essential part of the kit gifted to the Adivasi women of Bastar, who roam around in jungles for most part of their day. We plan on sending two reusable cloth pads and one menstrual cup as a gift pack which will cost around Rs. 1000 each. Every kit will have a brochure with instructions on how to use the menstrual cup, how to maintain it hygienically  and also basic details about the female anatomy. Wherever possible, keeping the physical proximity in mind, a few members from our team will be more than willing to address queries and guide them on how to use the cups as well. The brochure will be printed in Hindi and Gondi. A video with Hindi and Gondi voiceover will also be shared via bluetooth for better visual understanding of the product, its use and maintenance. We appeal for your support to help a female get access to the safe and hygienic sanitary products she deserves. We intend on sending a portion of these gift packs as a peace offering to the Maoist female fighters as well, who joined the movement as an escape from their distressed living conditions with hopes for a better future for their children. To bleed is human; to donate, humanity. A small donation from your end can be a step towards peace in the conflict ridden region, and this spirit of giving is sure to bring light and joy into their lives.

To donate, visit our ketto page: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/help-us-gift-menstrual-cups-to-tribal-women-in-bastar?payment=form

You can also donate via bank transfer or by scanning the QR Code given below:

1.       Punjab National Bank
2.       Account holder's name- CGNet Swara Foundation
3.       Account Number- 7483000100019704
4.       IFSC Code- PUNB0768500

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