The students were surprised when four women employees of Tiruchy NGO Gramalaya extolled the advantages of using reusable cloth pads instead of sanitary napkins.

“There are three Self Help Groups around Vellore that manufacture napkins, but they are of disposable variety,” said a senior official of the TN Women’s development corporation that oversees this work. “Reusable cloth pads that are cheaper in the long run are degradable are new to the district,” he added.

The four-member team visited Vellore on some other work and approached the school head as they had some time to spare. “When we explained the reason, the headmaster obliged us immediately,” said TN Nalini, monitoring officer of the Bank of America & Merill Lynch project that funds the venture.

“As the girls were interested, they said they would contact us with their needs in a few days,” Nalini added. Though the aim of the team was to create awareness, they also sell cloth pads if needed, she said. “Three teachers purchased Rs 600 cloth pads that can be reused for three years and seven others purchased the Rs 300 pads that can be reused for one year.”

The team then visited Pasumathur village where they interacted with the local women who said they needed time to ready the cash for purchase.

“Our SHGs near Thottiam have been making the cloth pads with raw material procured from Tirupur for the last three years. We have sold over 1.5 lakh units across the country as the product is available on Amazon, the online sales portal. Our SHGs have earned well as the turnover in the last three years has crossed Rs 60 lakh,” Gramalaya founder-director S Damodaran told DT Next.

“There are others producing cloth pads, but ours are the cheapest at Rs 300 and Rs 600. Other brands cost between Rs 600 and Rs 1,200,” Damodaran added.

The positive response from school students and Pasumathur residents has resulted in the NGO planning to visit more areas after Pongal to create awareness and also to sell the product.