290 tribal women in 6 villages in Dhanora block, Gadchiroli district are undergoing skilling under the Green Jobs sector, National Skill Development Corporation. At the Safe Resting Learning and Skilling Homes, the women learn about segregation of waste, related hygiene practices and how to recycle waste into value for economic benefit.
Banishing menstruating women to Period Huts (KurmaGhars), is an unhealthy practice amongst certain tribes like the Madias and Gonds in Central India. Each month, custom dictates that a menstruating woman must stay in the thatched hut on the edge of a forest. Given the hut’s location, it is not uncommon for wild animals to make an appearance, and there have been reports of women’s deaths due to snake bites. 98 % of the Period Huts surveyed, were found to be unsafe, unhygienic, un sanitary, un habitable shelters having no electricity, toilet /bath facilities, water supply, causing infections, illnesses and sometimes death amongst menstruating women.
To address these challenges, Kherwadi Social Welfare Association (KSWA), brand name Yuva Parivartan (YP) has come up with a concept of Converting unsafe Period Huts into Safe Resting Learning and Skilling Homes for menstruating women using bottle-bricks. Bottle — bricks are plastic bottles filled with compacted material like sand to create a dense strong brick for construction, and are four times stronger than an average earthen brick.
The Safe Resting Learning and Skilling bottle-bricks homes are equipped with a toilet, a bath cum washing section, a wash basin, a water connection, solar lighting, solar fan(s), beds, mattresses, linen, mosquito nets, netted windows, a cupboard, small kitchenette, smokeless chulla (cooking stoves), drying facilities and sewing machines….. to make the stay of the menstruating women safe, comfortable, hygienic and pleasant.
In mid June 2021, six Safe Resting Learning and Skilling Homes were handed over to 290 tribal women living in six villages in Gadchiroli district. The project has been implemented by KSWA Yuva Parivartan with the financial support of Mukul Madhav Foundation (CSR partner of Finolex Pipes) and Navya Naveli Nanda’s Project Naveli.
Besides the health and environmental benefits, the project hasand continues to provides skilling and livelihood opportunities, is a powerful way for taking responsibility to reduce one’s carbon foot prints, and addresses India’s journey towards achieving The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, namely,
Goal 3 : Ensure healthy lives and promotes well — being for all at all ages,
Goal 5 : Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,
Goal 12 : Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns,
Goal 13 : Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
The next steps are
- Placing tablets with a monthly 5 hour curriculum in every Home which includes videos on Health, Nutrition, Cookery, Skilling, Entertainment… to broaden the horizons of women.
- Crafting reusable washable cloth sanitary napkins for menstrual hygiene, creation of livelihoods for women, and reduction in waste.
The dignitaries who graced the occasion at Dhanora were Dr Anand Bang (SEARCH); Shri Nikhil Raut — Finolex Pipes; Shri C.G Pittulwar -Tahasildar; Shri Damodar Bhagat — Deputy Tahasildar; Shri Vishal Harde — Bank Manager, SBI; Shri Mulunda Madavi — Gram Sabha Adyksha; Shri Vivek Kumbhare — Adivasis Vikas Mahamandal Upsevasthapak; Shrimati Chetana Maske- Uttar Vanparishetra; Shri Namdev Bansod- Round Officer and the respective Sarpanch and Gram sevaks.
