When it comes to women, they have four basic needs, not three. Food, Shelter, Clothes and Sanitary napkins.

This is a tribute to the one and only Arunachalam Muruganantham, who address the so-called dark
side of 82% of Indian women who do not have access for sanitary napkins/ menstrual hygiene
(Matharu, 2017). As per India population clock, 48.4% are women from the living population at the
moment. According to Sood (2018), only 18% of that has education on menstrual hygiene and
sanitation. Across India, menstruation is still treated as mystery and is prohibited to speak about it in
public. Due to the lack of knowledge and facilities for menstruation, 23 million girls being drop out of
school at the age of 12-13 annually, which is a serious issue that needs to be addressed immediately
(Dutta, 2018).

Arunachalam’s wife Shanthi faced financial difficulties as other 70% of women in India who can not
afford to buy a sanitary napkin (Sinha, 2011). As Mathuru (2017) explains in his article, Arunachalam
saw his wife using unhealthy materials istead of sanitary napkins during her time of menstruation and
she made him aware that most of the women in the village including his other female family members
do the same. Looking at the matter in a deep way he found out that lack of education in menstrual
hygiene and high prices of sanitary napkins which almost made it a luxury product is the reason
behind it. Struggling for four years, losing his wife, mother, village, reputation and everything he had in
his life he made the impossible to possible by innovating the low-cost sanitary napkin producing
machine. The strategy is a napkin cost just 1.00 Indian Rupee which is one-fifth of the cost of an
average brand napkin. As a result of that, women could overcome that mindset of using the same
routine of being unhygienic. Now those obstacles can be overcome. So, women see affordability and
improved lifestyles in terms of hygiene. He wore them on him in the process of innovating it with Goat
blood. Now his machine has been distributed to women in most of the rural areas and it is no more a
secret. Women can even barter these napkins to Onions or Potatoes. In order to empower women,
he sells his machine without a profit. Still, he is trying to spread the awareness regarding sanitary
napkins/ menstrual hygiene and this battle will be forever as long as we do not educate enough the
uneducated.

In the world of ordinary men my tribute to all Arunachalams who stands next to women and
empower them in every way they can.

Reference

Dutta, S. (2018, May 28th) 23 Million Women Drop Out Of School Every Year When They Start
Menstruating In India; Swachh India.
Retrieved from: https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/23-million-women-drop-out-of-school-every-year-when-they-start-menstruating-in-india-17838/

India population (2018, September 17th 20:18) Country Meters.
Retrieved from: https://countrymeters.info/en/India

Matharu, S. (2017, December 20th )
The real padman: how the Muruganantham launched a sanitary napkin revolution in India; First post. Retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/living/the-real-padman-how-a-muruganantham-launched-a-sanitary-napkin-revolution-in-india-4268315.html

Sinha, K. (2011, January 23rd) 70% can't afford sanitary napkins, reveals study; The times of India. Retrieved from: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/70-cant-afford-sanitary-napkins-reveals-study/articleshow/7344998.cms

Sood, P. (2018, July 11th) Only 18% women in India have access to sanitary hygiene in India; E Times. Retrieved from: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/only-18-women-in-india-have-access-to-sanitary-hygiene-in-india/articleshow/64931350.cms

Sanitary napkins - a basic need of women by Shashi Kariyawasam - Monday, 17 September 2018, 11:04 PM