Back in March 2022, Jhatkaa.org collaborated with Stonesoup.in to support the cops of Bangalore by raising funds for menstrual cups. This activity will help the cops make a sustainable switch and manage their periods better. Stonesoup trust will donate the menstrual cups, conduct awareness sessions and provide WhatsApp support for the menstruators who are starting to use the cup.
On July 29, 2022, Stonesoup trust and Jhatkaa.org hosted the first menstrual cup distribution at Shivajinagar Women and Child Cell Police Station. The cups were distributed after the awareness session conducted by Dr Shantha from the Stonesoup trust team to 28 cops at the venue.
Each cup cost ₹440. Till July 22, 2022, Jhatkaa.org were able to raise ₹1,05,361 for 240 menstrual cups with the help of mailing and social media to reach out to citizens. These donations from citizens reduce the number of rejected waste from the landfills and thus creating a positive impact on the health of officers and the environment.
Our police work in isolated areas and sometimes don’t even find proper restrooms to change their pads, thus creating itchiness and other issues impacting their health. The awareness session conducted by Stonesoup trust helped the team understand how to use the cups, wash them and benefit from them.
“A menstrual cup is the most sustainable way for a woman to manage her periods. One menstrual cup lasts up to 10 years and keeps about 180 disposable sanitary pads away from the landfill in a year. It can be safely worn for 8-10 hours, and it’s a boon for menstruators, like the police, who are mostly on the field. It is also observed that menstrual cups improve menstruator’s health compared to disposable sanitary pads, which are laden with chemicals.” as per Padma from Stonesoup trust.
“12.3 billion disposable sanitary napkins reach India’s landfills each year. Due to improper management, it ends up in a landfill polluting our soil, water and air, posing a risk of infectious disease to everything in the surrounding environment. Sanitary pads worn for a long duration also create itching and rashes, impacting the menstruator’s health. Menstrual cups are a sustainable alternative which can be worn for a longer duration and are reusable for 10 years, thus reducing the rejected waste. Take a journey towards a sustainable switch today,” said Chiku Agarwal from Jhatkaa.org.
Join them to participate in Air Pollution and Gender&Sexuality initiatives to contribute toward an equitable, inclusive and sustainable India.