NAGPUR: Even as the city learns about
Tamil Nadu's
Arunachalam Muruganantham, whose biopic Padman starring
Akshay Kumar is set for a Friday release, two unsung heroes scripted a similar success story regarding menstrual hygiene at NMC's Vivekananda Hindi School at Deo Nagar.
In 2016, the school's math teacher Sushma Mankar and gynecologist Dr
Chaitanya Shembekar teamed up to install a sanitary napkin vending machine at the girl's washroom, dispensing pads at a subsidized cost of Rs5 each.
Till date, though the school has not received any financial support from NMC, none of its girl students has been deprived of the basic need. In fact, Mankar and her team comprising science teachers at the school, encourage the girls to carry home extra napkins for their sisters or mother back home. "There has never been a break in supply of pads for the girls. Even if the machine malfunctions, we would open and distribute pads directly," she said.
Shembekar said the idea came to his mind during a campaign to create awareness about sex education among corporation school kids five years ago. "I started with this school as it is close to my home and clinic. Similarly, there are NMC schools in every area and need such facilities," he said.
Mankar, who has been involved in social work since her college days, said a couple of years ago she read about such initiatives being taken in bigger cities like Mumbai. "I shared the news with Dr Shembekar, asking him to donate a similar machine for our students," she said.
On Friday, NMC will hold a screening of 'Padman' for 300 girl students from its schools at a city theatre. Mankar said she hoped that boys too are equally sensitized about the issue. "Men should know what a woman goes thorough during menstruation."
Mayor Nanda Jichkar said NMC would be setting up such machines at all its schools soon. "The state government has made it mandatory to have such facilities at all departments and institutions," she said. Around eight to ten NMC-run schools have already set up the machines.
The concept is not new to the city and has been successfully implemented at several places over the last couple of years. Some colleges, police stations and family court, where it was installed, saw a good response.
Court manager at Nagpur Family Courty Rasika Kasture said the machine set up there has been well received by staffers and visitors. "An all women committee comprising lawyers, counsellors and peon was formed to look after the machine. No issue has been reported since it was installed," she said.
LAD faculty member Charuta Gajbhiye said AICTE has made it compulsory for all institutions to install such vending machines. "The machine set up in our college has helped students in a big way. Whenever there has been any issue, it has been resolved on priority," she said.
Founder president of NGO Rising Infinitely For Social Empowerment, Gargi Vairagare, said they have so far installed the machine at 15 government-aided and small schools. "We go along with doctors and experts, and talk to girls regarding biological problems. Now, we are working in rural areas too," she said.
The machines were also set up at Hislop College and Police Headquarters, where too they are running smoothly.
Representative image
