SaniMart workers - Integrated Urban Development Phase 2 (IUD-II)
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Authors
Matt Wenham
Issue Date
2014-06
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Health , Water and Sanitation
Alternative Title
Abstract
In Bangladesh, women traditionally have been considered ‘unclean’ during their periods, sanitary products are not available and girls are forced to hide away and use rags to soak up the blood. These rags are used over and over again. Washing and drying the rags is difficult, as they shouldn’t be seen by anyone. During this time, girls don’t attend school, because they are too afraid of blood leaking onto their clothes. But this is beginning to change. Young women in villages like Satkhira are making and selling biodegradable and good quality sanitary products with the organisation SaniMart. The women not only make the products, they also encourage other women and girls to use them and are starting to break the silence around the issue. The women earn a small income from making the pads, which they are able to use to help pay for their education. The girls working for SaniMart are beneficiaries of the Integrated Urban Management Phase II ('Delivering Decentralisation') project in Faridpur and Jessore.