About Asani
Job
Access
Education
Advocacy
Dignity
- Access &
Education - Distribution
& Awareness - Production
- Healthy
Futures &
Opportunities
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 Asani Sanitary Napkin Program trains women to manufacture and distribute high-quality, low-cost sanitary napkins throughout their communities. This empowers girls and women to take control over their health and livelihoods and enables girls to pursue higher education beyond the onset of menstruation.
Our solution attacks all facets of this huge issue: Stigma, Education and Access.
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.
AND COUNTING
REGULAR MHM PROGRAMMING
In Response to COVID - 19
Product Information
Asani Sanitary Napkins
320 mm - Extra Large Size 8 Soft Absorbent Pads with Wings
Asani Sanitary Napkins
280 mm - Large Size 8 Soft Absorbent Pads with WingsRegional Focus
Regions where we are
Valsad, Navsari, Tapi, Surat, Dang, Bharuch, Nanded
Regions where we are expanding
Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh
Do you want ASANI in your region?
Stories
MEET SAVITA
Savita is the mother of two young children and lives with her husband and his elderly parents. Savita's husband's income was not enough for the family's needs. She searched for a job which she could do in her free time and still care for her family, but it was hard to find.
When Savita learned about the Asani Sanitary Napkin program and tried Asani pads, she liked its comfort and low cost.
Today, Savita is a sangini, a distributor of Asani napkins. She is happy to have work that allows her to earn an income while also taking care of her family.
MEET RIYA
Riya is an 11th grader at Shantaben Vidhyabhavan where she attends our science school- one of the best in the region.
Riya is currently outperforming all of her classmates, including the boys. Each day, she travels 15 km each way to get to school, knowing that this is the best education available to her.
She dreams of becoming a doctor.
MEET'S STORY
Meet is a 12th grader at our high school. Although his interest in human biology, the conversation about menstruation has always been taboo.
When he visited our Asani Sanitary Napkin Program production center downstairs from his classroom, he learned what menstruation is, and that it is a regular part of female health.
Today, Meet does not feel ashamed or intimidated to speak and study about menstruation and has shown greater respect towards his female classmates.
MEET SONAL
Sonal is a mother of 2. Her husband is handicapped, making her the sole provider for her family of four.
When we met Sonal, she was concerned as her job selling sarees did not bring in consistent income. Sonal became the first woman to sign up for our Asani Sanitary Napkin production job and has been vital to our team ever since.
Today, Sonal earns a reliable income without the burden of an upfront investment or loan as her previous job required.
MEET HANSABEN
Hansaben is a mother of two young women. All Hansaben knew was to use rags during menstruation.
While attending a Desai Foundation menstrual awareness program, Hansaben learned about the benefits of using pads and that she could afford the Asani ones.
On that day, she decided to change her household's practices and educated her daughters as well as some of the other young women in her community on using sanitary napkins.
MEET RINA
Rina needed to provide for her family since her husband's salary wasn't enough.
During visits to her in-law's village, Rina stumbled upon our Asani Sanitary Napkin production center and decided that she would love to sell Asani pads to the women in her village.
Rina was the very first member of our Asani sales team and sold over 100 packs of Asani in her first month on the job. Rina now feels empowered and motivates other women on the growing sales team.
