Sayaji Pune joins hands with Humjoli Foundation for menstrual awareness drive

Women in resource-poor settings in India put their health at immense risk during menstruation. From using mud and ash to dirty clothes, menstrual hygiene takes a backseat due to financial constraints and inaccessibility to clean products. Keeping this in mind, Sayaji Pune collaborated with Humjoli Foundation to get women trained as menstrual health and hygiene educators and volunteers, so that they can go back and spread the awareness to a larger audience.

The session was organised at the Sayaji Pune and was attended by volunteers from all over the city and employees of the hotel. Dr Sania Siddiqui, founder of Humjoli Foundation, trained the attendees on how to disseminate the knowledge and awareness among all strata of society precisely in a structured way and also distributed red dot disposal bags on behalf of Humjoli Foundation. Sayaji Pune is already catering to the need of women hygiene by keeping women hygiene wash and napkins in washrooms. Reaching the marginalised community through penetration of a large number of such trained volunteers will help in eradicating period poverty and replace it with period positivity. 

Humjoli, a Pune-based foundation spearheaded by Dr Sania Siddiqui, aims to spread awareness about menstrual health and hygiene. While doing this, it primarily emphasises breaking menstruation taboos and myths by reaching and teaching women and young girls and sensitising them about the issues related to periods through sessions, workshops, personal counselling, and sanitary napkin distribution drives. It has over 300 volunteers who are trained on taking Period Talk sessions in schools, rural areas, and other similar set ups. Apart from taking sessions for women and girls, the foundation has specially designed modules for young boys and fathers as well with the motive to educate men so that they become a support system.