For HER Foundation

Hygiene, Empowerment, Respect

Idea of inception of For HER foundation came up with a motive to provide freedom to females of India, from the plight of ages old burdens of the bondages of strongly prevalent wrong knowledge of menstruation in society.

When the team for HER, studied the issue exhaustively and deeply, it came into understanding that it is not only related to hygiene,it also relates to empowering females and respecting them. From that moment, the name “for HER foundation” was born, where ‘H’ stood for hygiene, ‘E’ stood for empowerment, ‘R’ stood for respect.

A statistic came infront of the team“For HER Foundation”, that 88% females are not getting basic, safe & healthy facilities for maintaining their personal hygiene during menstruation. This prevalent scenario is causing infections like RTI (reproductive tract infection) to a mass of the female population in India, causing infections that are making it really difficult for a female to conceive, and in some cases these infections are leading to death of females too, high number girl’s school drop outs causing uneducation or lack of proper education in females. It gave up a thought in the mind, that, we call ourselves developing nation, we call ourselves IT power, we are in outer space. And we are also a place where females do not have the freedom and choice to maintain their basic hygiene, do not have the freedom and choice to understand their needs during menstruation, it is not a sign of developing nation, an upcoming superpower, an emerging powerful economy. Where we talk about equal participation of girls in nation building, there is only a minute fraction of girls in India who can maintain their personal hygiene according to their needs.

For HER foundation started by organizing awareness campaigns, with a basic clarity that this disease of ignorant society can be cured by creating awareness amongst females and males. Being a patriarchal society in India we cannot leave male uneducated, and an aware male can add to the solution.

The first awareness program was conducted in the presence of UNICEF team, on 11th January 2016 in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. For HER foundation started conducting awareness programs at a bigger level in various depths of the community, from 30th January 2016, Mahatma Gandhi ji’s death anniversary, who has once said, “Sanitation is more important than independence.”

It was found that creating awareness alone will not work, as there is no easy access to females for good quality pads, due to various reasons. So to make it a more effective solution, For HER foundation started distributing free sanitary pads, along with awareness programs.

For some months, the few thousand of females were being supported by free distributed pads. But the result of the experiment of free distribution of pads, was not so much positive as expected. People were feeling easy, comfortable and confident, but were still considering it as luxury and not a necessity of hygiene. We need a solution for a concrete behavioral change, that can lead to a healthy and infection free life.

After a lot of discussions with people from a range of professions and experiences, that includes doctors, bureaucrats, media, researchers and social activists, at different levels, a solution was framed with a modification. It was 4 As; Awareness among people; Availability of sanitary pads; good Absorption quality of sanitary pads; Affordable sanitary pads. The solution was creating awareness in society and ensuring availability of good quality sanitary pads at an affordable price, will lead towards behavioral change. And this framed solution has seen much better result.

From May 2016 till Nov 2016 For HER foundation -

• Has trained around 3 lac plus females in approx. 1700 villages, in M.P.
• Has trained around 18000 girls in 151 schools in Sagar, M.P.
• Has conducted more than 2000 awareness campaigns in M.P.
• Has provided more than 10 Lac sanitary napkins in urban regions to interior villages in M.P.
• Has established teams of trainers in Menstrual Hygiene Management in 21 districts of Madhya Pradesh
• Has organized Training of trainers in collaboration with WaterAid Pvt. Ltd and National health Mission (Indian Govt.)
• Has trained more than 35 SHGs
• On 28th May 2016, the International Menstrual hygiene day, For HER Foundation has conducted 2061 awareness programs in Sagar, M.P.. Result was, 1 Lac 19 thousand pads were bought in a period of 2 hours form program centres in Sagar districts.

For HER Foundation

Hygiene, Empowerment, Respect

88% of females in India are using unsanitised means during their menstrual period, and 70% females cannot afford sanitary napkins because of high costs of quality sanitary pads available in the market, revealed by a study conducted.

This is one of the major reasons behind urinary tract infection (UTI), Reproductive Tract Infections(RTI) and various cancers related to female reproductive parts, because of which females in our country are suffering. Keeping apart the health issues, lack of knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene negatively impacts psychology of a girl, puts down the self confidence and leads to a situation of gender inequality in many situations. The biggest reason behind the girl’s drop out of schools.

This shows a critical state of females in our nation, and this came as, need to work upon problem category and “For HER foundation” was established. Founder AnupamTiwari and co-founder Mohit Sati started working extensively over this issue of menstrual hygiene and within 6 months of rigorous working they have touched 3 lac+ females of Madhya Pradesh.

From May 2016 till Nov 2016 For HER foundation -

• Has trained around 3 lac plus females in approx. 1700 villages, in M.P.
• Has trained around 18000 girls in 151 schools in Sagar, M.P.
• Has conducted more than 2000 awareness campaigns in M.P.
• Has provided more than 10 Lac sanitary napkins in urban regions to interior villages in M.P.
• Has established teams of trainers in Menstrual Hygiene Management in 21 districts of Madhya Pradesh
• Has organized Training of trainers in collaboration with WaterAid Pvt. Ltd and National health Mission (Indian Govt.)
• Has trained more than 35 SHGs
• On 28th May 2016, the International Menstrual hygiene day, For HER Foundation has conducted 2061 awareness programs in Sagar, M.P.. Result was, 1 Lac 19 thousand pads were bought in a period of 2 hours form program centres in Sagar districts.

Area of focus:

• Creation of awareness about naturalness and importance of menstruation.
• Creation of awareness on Menstrual Hygiene management.
• Preparing girls just before their period for their first experience of menstrual cycle.
• Equanimity for girls.
• Availability of sanitary pads to every female.
• Lowering school dropout figure of girls.