quickly as the project and improvement in the self sanitation practices of rural women banked on his decisions.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
UNICEF( United Nations International Children ' s Emergency Fund) has been working with the Government of India since 1949. It is the largest UN organization in the country. Following are its goals:-
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV / AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development
UNICEF ' s presence in India is unique. It has a network of 13 state offices that enables the organization to focus attention on the poorest and most disadvantaged communities, alongside its work at the national level. UNICEF relies on contributions from governments and private donors.
Under the guidance of UNICEF different NGOs work in different blocks of various districts of Maharashtra as partners of UNICEF. SACRED is one such organization working in Bhokardan block in Jalna district. SACRED( Society For Action In Creative Education & Development) is an educational, developmental & service Non-Governmental Organization( NGO) registered under the Societies Registration Act( XXI) of 1860, The Bombay Public Trusts Act 1950 and the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act 1976. The NGO ' s headquarter is in Aurangabad and Dr. L. J. Aherwadkar is its President. Its genesis is the founding of Institute of Management & Research( IMTR) on January 10, 1975 at Aurangabad which itself was a registered organization. However, due to expansion of activities of various types, SACRED was registered as an independent organization in 1982 of which IMTR became a unit. The various projects carried out by UNICEF & SACRED as partners included:
1. CDD-WATSAN project( Imparting training in safe drinking water, environmental sanitation & personal hygiene to children in primary schools)
2. Micro Planning of villages 3. Total Sanitation Campaign in villages 4. Rural Entrepreneurship Development Project( REDP) 5. Jalswarajya Project 6. Village Development Programme 7. AplePani( Our own water) Project
8. Farmers clubs
9. Deepshikha Program( A recent program undertaken to empower adolescent girls and women in villages).
Other donors of SACRED included NABARD and MISEREOR( Germany). Mr. Jayant Deshpande had been the Secretary of SACRED since its inception and had played a major role in the NGO operations in the Aurangabad, Jalna and Beed districts of Maharashtra.
SANITARY NAPKIN INDUSTRY Function
Sanitary napkins are designed to absorb and retain menstrual fluid discharges. When used they are applied inside an undergarment with a press-on adhesive fixing strip. Main functions / key elements of sanitary napkins are to absorb and retain menstrual fluid, isolate fluids from the body, no leakage, no unaesthetic appearance, no odor, stay in place, comfortable to wear. The key criteria for success are hygiene, performance, comfort, convenience and aesthetics.
Different types of Sanitary napkins available in market with details are as follows.
Product designs, full size pads:-
This type of pad have 3 main sub parts, the top sheet is of non woven type or an aperture film type. The absorbent core has a pulp which makes it thick core which can be classified as fluff core with SAP or air laid core with SAP. The back sheet is a thin film acting as a covering.
Product designs, Ultra-thin pad:-
This type of pad is manufactured in refined manner with 5 main sub parts. The top sheet is of nonwoven type or an aperture film type. The next portion is a transfer layer which acts as a film between top sheet and absorbent layer. The absorbent layer and absorbent core form the crux of the pad and they are usually thin in nature. The absorbent core has a pulp which makes it thick core which can be classified as fluff core with SAP or air laid core with SAP. The back sheet is a thin film acting as a covering.
Product shape could be either flat or curved with / without wings to secure the pad in place and add additional leak protection. It is available in various pattern designs with perfume( deodorant) added to cover or absorb odor. Packaging is done either folded or single wrapped or packed flat and unwrapped.
Although India has had a high population, the awareness and usage of sanitary napkins amongst women is very low( See Exhibit 1 for country wise per capita consumption). The penetration of sanitary napkins in rural India especially has been very low. Only 12 % of total 355 million menstruating women in India use sanitary napkins. 75 percent of the women respondents were not psychologically prepared for menstruation and
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