At the foundation of thriving, prosperous communities are three things — education, healthcare and hygiene. These factors are especially crucial for the progress of women and adolescent girl children.
Some girls — especially those from low-income families — are held back because of the lack of access to good quality menstrual products, as well as the absence of a supportive, well-informed social environment. The AM Foundation’s Happy Periods programme tackles this social issue; under this initiative, essentials like pads and towels are provided to school going girls from marginalized backgrounds in Tamil Nadu.
By raising awareness and conducting training sessions, we aim to instill a sense of dignity, self-esteem and confidence in the programme’s beneficiaries.
Through our initiatives, we were able to touch the lives of 1.3 lakh people directly. One of the most heartening results of this programme is that fewer girls are dropping out of school, owing to a positive change in societal attitudes and access to healthcare. Investing in the development of these girls today is a vital step in ensuring women’s participation in the workforce in the future.
First steps: Providing essentials and raising awareness
The AM Foundation’s work in public health has manifested in the setting up of school sanitation blocks as well as primary healthcare centers (PHCs). Under the Happy Periods programme, antimicrobial Safepads and towels, that can clean without soap and water, are provided as part of the kit.
While students in higher secondary school received sustainable hygiene kits, those in primary and middle school were given dental kits, with a view to encourage personal hygiene early on in their lives.
Creating a culture of shared knowledge
Through this initiative, we wanted to nurture an environment where communities could educate themselves. At PHCs supported by the AM Foundation, training sessions about periods were conducted for workers, who’d cascade this knowledge to the larger community. In ‘Train the Trainer’ sessions, requisite training was imparted to female and male teachers to ensure the programme’s impact could be far-reaching.
Glimpses from the ‘Happy Periods’ programme feature the smiling faces of young students, who made for eager learners. Mothers and senior members of the community, too, listened with rapt attention to the trainers.
By adopting an inclusive approach, the programme made space not just for young girls, but also boys and older male community members — thus fostering a culture of care and empathy.
Long-lasting change through a commitment to the community
AM Foundation’s programmes Happy Periods & Health and Hygiene were rolled out to over 420 schools across Chennai and Cuddalore, resulting in 1.34 lakh beneficiaries.
The biodegradable nature of these kits make them sustainable, and their reusability ensures that they are affordable and accessible.
The reduction in dropouts has meant that the education of adolescent girl children was not neglected, allowing them to achieve their full potential in their adult lives.
The impact of the programme was palpable in the feedback from educationists. “The session was informative and drew the attention of the students to the importance of hygiene for their growth and development,” said V. Manjula, Headmistress at PUPS, Old Napalayam. In Manali New Town, teacher N. Prathipa remarked that information was delivered in a clear and interactive manner.
In Chennai and Tuticorin, the programme grew and shaped the lives of communities over 18 months. The effect of this intervention, we hope, will last much longer.
At AM Foundation, we believe everyone should have access to life’s essentials. In the words of our Founder and Chairman Ashwin Muthiah, “CSR is not just our duty. It is an opportunity given to us to serve our people, society and the planet unconditionally to the best of our ability.”
