A group of nine working women — Geetha T.G. Jayanthi, Prameela, Prema, T.K. Geetha, Anitha, Chitra, Ramaa and Hema — decided to help less privileged women who have been severely affected due to the incessant rain in Chennai, by providing them with sanitary napkins on Friday.
The women, with the help of their friends and acquaintances, have jointly funded for 100 kits, each consisting of eight sanitary pads, two underwear, soap, multigrain chocolate bar and some newspapers, to women whose homes have been flooded.
“The flood has forced several young women onto the pavements. They have no way to wash and dry their clothes if they are going through their periods. This was a topic of discussion at work and we just decided that we must do our bit to help the women in need,” says Ms. Geetha, who shared this initiative on her Facebook profile. She adds, “On Thursday, we decided to do something and we started distributing them on Friday.”
“When you are doing something, it is not nice to put it up on Facebook. But we thought we could enlist the help of more people and do more by sharing the news. When some more people came to know about what we are trying to do, many more have offered to help,” she says. The cost of each kit is around Rs. 115. While this kit was specifically meant for women, Ms. Geetha says that they are also planning to buy plastic mats, blankets and mosquito repellents in the coming days.
“We are hoping to raise more money and provide basic things to people,” she says. What’s next? “We are planning to organise a medical camp,” she says.
Activist and documentary filmmaker R.P. Amudhan, who has been involved in relief work through the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle, says that the affected women were relieved that they were given sanitary pads.
“When we think of floods, we think of property being destroyed and people going hungry. Very rarely do we think of providing women with sanitary pads. The women were very moved when they saw the kits. Now, almost all organisations involved in relief work have begun giving sanitary pads,” he said.
He further said that this was an opportunity to help people in real need. “All it takes is Rs. 544 to provide blankets and other materials to those in need. As people who can afford a lot of things, we must treat this as our duty to help people in distress,” he said.
Those willing to support this initiative may call Ph: 9382853646/ 9841155371.
Now, almost all organisations involved in relief work have begun giving sanitary pads, says activist and documentary filmmaker R.P. Amudhan
