ABOUT ASANI
The Asani Sanitary Napkin program is developed by Women for Women.
Our award-winning flagship project, the Asani Sanitary Napkin program, is designed to end period poverty and bring menstrual equity in rural Indian communities. This program has reached millions of women and girls living in remote and rural areas across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
Education To Break Taboos
We execute our awareness programs to correct damaging misconceptions around menstruation and destigmatize periods in the community through Menstrual Hygiene Management awareness sessions. Did you know that 71% of girls do not know what periods are before they experience them for the first time?
Access To Period Products
Due to the inaccessibility of sanitary napkins and health facilities in many rural communities, women and girls are obliged to manage their periods with an unsanitary rag instead of with pads. This deteriorates the health and quality of life for these women.
EconomicEmpowerment
We train women in rural India to manufacture and distribute sanitary products. Not only does this program empower women through an employment opportunity, but the increased access to menstrual products also provides them with the means to pursue higher education and livelihood prospects while menstruating.
Advocating For Menstrual Equity
Menstruation is a highly stigmatized issue in rural India, and many do not have access to sanitary pads. The stigma and lack of resources obstruct not only access to good health but opportunity as well. Asani has a profound personal and public impact, combating stigma and empowering women and girls with a fundamental sense of self-worth and self-esteem.
THE INNOVATION OF ASANI
After years of experimentation, we have developed a best in class Menstrual Health Management program that tackles all issues surrounding menstrual health and supports the development of the communities we serve. Our Asani Sanitary Napkin program is designed by women for women. The program improves menstrual health awareness and use of menstrual products in rural areas. Through its integrated approach, the program improves the health of the beneficiaries and provides economic opportunities, cultivates dignity, as well as access to education. Asani is designed to be financially sustainable and socially acceptable for local communities.
4A
AWARENESS
AVAILABILITY
ACCESSIBILITY
Advocacy
EMPOWERING HER AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE
CHILDHOOD
We lay the foundation for a lifetime of wellness with health & hygiene education, including crucial information on menstrual hygiene. Our Bal Health Mela turns learning about health into a fun and joyful experience, ensuring she grows up strong and well-informed.
TEEN YEARS
We stand by her as she learns about menstruation, breaking taboos and ensuring her education continues uninterrupted. Access to Asani Sanitary Napkins and Menstrual Hygiene Awareness doesn’t just keep her in school—it keeps her dreams alive and thriving. Your support writes her story of uninterrupted success.
YOUNG ADULTHOOD
We’re there to boost her dignity and confidence as she steps into young adulthood. Through creative learning and vocational training, we’re nurturing entrepreneurs ready to conquer the world. Our Asani Sanitary Napkin program ensures she continues to have the resources she needs to manage her health and pursue her dreams without barriers.
ADULTHOOD
Adulthood brings new challenges, but also opportunities. With career development and financial skills training, we empower her to achieve financial independence and pave her own path to success. Our Asani program helps her maintain her health and dignity as she reaches her goals.
MOTHERHOOD
Ensuring a safe journey into motherhood with our Maternal Health and Gynec Camps, strengthening both her and the next generation.
NEXT GENERATION
As she raises the next generation, the ripple effect of her empowerment is timeless. Through education, stigma-breaking initiatives, and community development, our commitment to change continues across generations. Our work today plants the seeds for a healthier, more empowered world tomorrow.
what we do
The Challenge
Menstruation is a highly stigmatized, critical social and health issue in rural India. Many women and girls in these regions do not have access to sanitary pads. As a result, it is common for girls to stop attending school when they start their periods and for women and girls to contract infections and other serious illnesses from using makeshift materials like rags to manage to bleed. The stigma surrounding periods and lack of resources obstructs not only access to good health but opportunity.
The Solution
The Lasting Impact
Our brand of sanitary napkins is called Asani, which means “with ease”…because something so natural shouldn’t be so hard to take care of. Our program creates life long good habits that can have major impacts on the health of girls and women. Our unique methodology allows for women to participate in our program in a flexible way, in the role that speaks most to them. We work to cultivate dignity for those we serve so they can break free from the stigma and shame, stay in school, and participate in the workforce.
OUR IMPACT
Watch to learn more about Asani
Learn how our flagship program has impacted women and girls across rural India.
REGIONAL FOCUS
REGIONS WHERE WE ARE LOCATED
Today, we operate four Asani production centers and are currently expanding this program to other partners. It is one of our most all-encompassing initiatives and we are very excited to expand it, making waves in social and health reform in the greater region.Â
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
REGIONS WHERE WE ARE EXPANDING
Across India
DO YOU WANT ASANI IN YOUR REGION?
STORIES FROM OUR BENEFICIARIES
Discover the transformative impact of Asani through heartfelt testimonials from our beneficiaries. See how Asani is positively impacting lives every day.
Beneficiary Stories
Name – Kusumben
Location – Navsari, Gujarat
Kusumben, a house mother at Takal Kanya Chhatralay, has been a champion for menstrual hygiene since 2022. After an awareness program by the Desai Foundation, Kusumben embraced the use of Asani pads over cloth, understanding the importance of hygiene and introduced Asani to the girls at the hostel and in her family. This positive change through the awareness program continues each year with new batches arriving, ensuring they receive valuable menstrual awareness education and access to Asani pads. Hinaben, our sangini and a fellow villager, ensures deliveries of pads at the hostel.
Kusumben’s story exemplifies a community working together to empower girls and promote positive menstrual hygiene.
Beneficiary Stories
Name – Anushika Singh
Location – Deoria, Uttar Pradesh
Anushika’s story is one of resilience and achieving dreams. Periods initially posed a hurdle for her academic ambitions (becoming a doctor) due to the inconvenient WASH facility in school. However, her sister introduced her to Asani pads. Despite initial doubts about their thinness, Anushika discovered their long-lasting absorbency (6–8 hours). This was a game-changer! Asani pads provided the comfort and confidence to manage her period hygienically, eliminating disruptions to her studies.
With newfound freedom, Anushika excelled, completing 12th grade and now dedicating long hours at the library for NEET preparation. Asani Pads empowered her to focus on her dream, and she feels unstoppable!
Beneficiary Stories
Name – Apsaroon
Location – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Apsaroon, a 25-year-old single mother from a conservative Muslim family, faced immense challenges after being abandoned by her in-laws just a year into her marriage. Living in a community where women are still veiled and restricted, she struggled to provide for her daughter. A year ago, Apsaroon joined the Asani project by the Desai Foundation during a time of desperation. She received training and began working in a production center, packing sanitary pads. This opportunity transformed her life and shifted her family’s attitudes. Her mother, initially resistant, supported her decision to join the project after Apsaroon explained the broader issues faced by women.
Apsaroon now feels empowered and committed to shielding her daughter from the societal evils she experienced. She credits the Desai Foundation team for the positive changes in her life and her newfound strength.
Beneficiary Stories
Name – Bhavana Patel
Location – Valsad, Gujarat
Bhavana Patel, a 45-year-old working as a tailor in Mograwadi, Valsad, comes from a financially weak background. She has been struggling with mensural hygiene, using rags to manage them due to her ignorance of proper hygiene practices. She attended a MHM session by the Desai Foundation in November 2022, and her life changed in terms of MHM hygiene. When she learned about Asani pads, she not only improved her menstrual hygiene, but later in September, she became a successful Sangini, selling Asani monthly to 30–40 women in her locality.
Beneficiary Stories
Name – Madhuri Rajput
Location – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Madhuri Rajput, a courageous farmer hailing from Nauakhera, Lucknow, boldly challenged village customs by introducing Asani pads, thereby championing women’s empowerment. Inspired by the enlightening teachings of DFT’s program, she fearlessly confronted the stigma surrounding menstruation.
Through her shop, she shattered societal barriers, providing both dignity and health to her community, illuminating a path of change amidst entrenched traditions. When questioned by Desai’s team about her remarkable journey, Madhuri credited the transformative insights she gained from the Asani program. She came to the profound realization that many menstrual taboos were not intrinsic to the natural process but rather constructs imposed by society.
beneficiary Stories
Name – KunikaÂ
Location – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Kunika, a 12th-grade student in a government school in Lucknow, was once among the many girls facing challenges due to the lack of menstrual hygiene resources in her village. Two months ago, a menstrual hygiene management (MHM) awareness program by the Desai Foundation Trust transformed her.
Kunika became a Sangini under the Asani program, ensuring girls have access to Asani pads and maintaining hygiene standards in her school. Her dedication stems from her own past struggles, driving her to prevent other girls from facing similar hardships. Kunika finds joy in her responsibilities, grateful for the opportunity to help others through the Aasni program.
Beneficiary Stories
Name – Bharati D. Naik
Location – Sirsi, Karnataka
Bharati D. Naik, a 33-year-old Sangini from Dandeli, exemplifies the Desai Foundation Trust’s vision of empowerment through education and health. After leaving school to support her family, Bharati joined the Desai Foundation in December 2022, where Asani offered her a new path. Selling Asani pads, she not only advanced menstrual health in her community but also gained financial independence. In 2023, Bharati resumed her education, completing her pre-university course and enrolling in a BA program. With her earnings, she achieved personal goals like purchasing a scooter, and embodying the Foundation’s mission to uplift individuals through opportunity and self-reliance.
Why Asani? Find Out More
Learn about our commitment to empowering people who menstruate, exceptional product quality, women-led production, and cost-effectiveness. See why Asani is making a real difference.
Yes, for three clear reasons. First, we teach safe disposal practices to our customers, ensuring they understand the best way to dispose of their pads. Second, 100% of the materials used to make Asani are sourced directly from India, reducing our carbon footprint. Third, they are produced locally and employ local people, close to where they are being used, which further cuts down on shipping and transport.
Actually, we do. Our first concern will always be the women and girls we serve. And we mostly work in rural communities where running clean water and soap are not freely available. In our awareness sessions we do discuss the safe and proper use of re-usable options. Most reusable products (pads, rags, cups, etc) are not properly cleaned, dried, or stored. Until everyone in India has safe, clean running water, we can’t justify suggesting using only reusable pads. The disposable pads are the best way to prevent infection, disease or even infertility.
This data is assuming no pads are biodegradable. So it puts into context the relatively small amount of waste we are talking about here. The total menstruating population of India is 355 million. Assuming 35% of women are using sanitary napkins (using about 8-10 pads a month each), it would mean a roughly daily waste due to sanitary napkin will be 250 tonnes. The total daily plastic waste in India is around 10,000 tonnes. Sanitary napkin disposal waste is approx. 2.5% of the total daily plastic waste in India. We agree that every bit counts, but for now, in our fight for women’s health, we are putting a women’s life at the top of the priority list.
We understand completely the waste and pollution issue in urban centers. Our work and our customers are in rural communities throughout India. These communities tend to be more environmentally minded to begin with, as most of them are farmers. They tend to keep the area cleaner, use products multiple times, and practice burning to dispose of things on a regular basis.
Asani Sanitary Napkins
Asani Sanitary Napkins provide superior protection and comfort. They are designed to be nearly 50% longer, offering extended coverage so you can stay worry-free during your periods. The Dry Net Cover ensures rapid absorption, keeping you dry and comfortable.
By choosing Asani, you are also supporting a cause – empowering women in rural India through employment and promoting menstrual hygiene awareness.Â
Feel confident and make a difference with Asani Sanitary Napkins! Check out our product page to purchase.
ASANI IN THE NEWS
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Recognition by Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Our award-winning Asani Sanitary Napkin program has positively impacted millions of women and girls across 8 states in rural India, thanks to these incredible organizations for their support. If your organization is interested in Asani – we would love to hear from you!
Indian Government Social Initiatives
OUR SUPPORTERS
Our award-winning Asani Sanitary Napkin program has positively impact millions of women and girls across 8 states in rural India thanks to these incredible organizations. If your organization is interested in partnering and supporting Asani we would love to hear from you!Â
