Today, exactly one year ago Simavi, Rutgers and Women on Wings launched their joint campaign ‘1WEEKEXTRA’ in the Netherlands. With this campaign the three partners asked attention for their joint program in India that aims to improve the situation of menstruating girls and women in Bihar in three years. Next to this, it will create jobs for women and raise awareness amongst boys and men.
The results after one year
In numerous training and information sessions at school and rural communities, the partners have been able to inform 278,000 girls and women in Munger en Bhagalpur, Bihar, about the importance of menstrual hygiene. These girls and women now know the risks of bad hygiene and how to realize better menstrual hygiene. Besides, 35,000 girls and women have been given access to affordable sanitary pads. Almost 200 female entrepreneurs have found employment in the local distribution of sanitary pads.
The targets for this year
The three partners continue to work on realizing the targets of the joint program. Women on Wings’ and its partner in India Dharma Life’s specific goal is to make sanitary pads available by creating a viable business model with female entrepreneurs selling and distributing sanitary pads. Next to the current almost 200 female entrepreneurs, the goal for 2016-2017 is to add 90 female entrepreneurs in Munger and reach a total of 345 in Bhagalpur.
Creating awareness and sustainable jobs
1WEEKEXTRA is a Dutch campaign that supports the program ‘Making periods normal’ which started early 2015 with financial support of the Dutch Postcode Lottery and aims to educate girls and women in rural India about menstrual hygiene. The ultimate goal of the program in India is to inform 660,000 girls and women in Bihar to realize better menstrual hygiene, give access to 165,000 girls and women to affordable sanitary pads via a local distribution network with female entrepreneurs and give 815 women work in that network.
