BRAC Sanitary Napkin & Delivery Kit

A BRAC Social Enterprise

Helping rural women overcome their health barriers

BRAC Sanitary Napkin and Delivery Kits production centre was set up in 1999 in response to public health needs of schoolgirls and poor women in rural areas. BRAC Education programme identified that the absenteeism of young girls was due to inadequate hygiene facilities during menstruation. The girls were also embarrassed to ask male members of the family to buy sanitary napkins. Most of the commercial sanitary pads are relatively pricey and women in the rural areas are not accustomed to using them. The solution was to introduce affordable, biodegradable sanitary napkins allowed for more hygienic practices during menstruation as well as increased mobility for women so they can move beyond the house and attend work and school regularly. BRAC's health volunteers sell these sanitary napkins and essential delivery kits at the doorsteps and help promote hygienic practices amongst poor girls and women.

BRAC's objective of providing a total solution for personal hygiene to women of poor households across the country seems to have been partially addressed through the SNDK enterprise today. It provides income generation to local members, addresses the issue of low-cost but hygienically manufactured products and also provide the distribution network for sales to materialise.