Celebrating menstrual health and hygiene
Poor menstrual hygiene during adolescence can cause serious reproductive issues such as recurrent sexually transmitted infections/reproductive tract infections and an increased risk of cervical cancer, with India bearing 20% of the global burden.
Ujaas, led by Ms. Advaitesha Birla, is a nationwide initiative dedicated to menstrual health awareness, access, and advocacy. Its mission is to break taboos, empower young girls, and ensure that menstruation is treated with dignity, openness, and equality.
The initiative, which is rooted in social responsibility and empowerment, recognises that menstruation is not just a biological process but a deeply entrenched socio-cultural phenomenon that intersects with issues of gender equity, education, and public health. Our approach encompasses a holistic understanding of the myriad challenges surrounding menstrual health, including education, affordability, accessibility, and societal stigma. By dispelling myths, breaking taboos, and promoting open dialogue, we aim to create an environment where menstruation is no longer shrouded in secrecy but celebrated as a natural and empowering aspect of womanhood.
Menstrual Health Management (MHM) education sessions
Ujaas goes beyond spreading information — it inspires mindset change. Through its powerful #ChangeThePsychle campaign, wall paintings, school-based initiatives, and community sessions, Ujaas fosters open and stigma-free conversations around menstruation.
A key part of this effort is awareness sessions in schools and communities, along with capacity building of school teachers and frontline workers, empowering them to guide adolescents with accurate information and sensitivity.
Importantly, boys and men are also included in the awareness sessions, helping to challenge myths and build a culture of understanding and shared responsibility. These workshops create safe spaces for dialogue, curiosity, and lasting social transformation.
Access to menstrual products and services
The programme is grounded in respect and rights, making menstrual hygiene products accessible as a matter of health equity, not charity. To bridge the menstrual hygiene gap, Ujaas distributes sanitary pads across schools and underserved communities. This crucial step ensures that no girl misses school, feels ashamed, or faces health risks due to lack of menstrual products. It also promotes sustainable solutions that are not only useful but also protect the environment.
In an effort to provide access to information and normalise conversations around menstruation and challenging social stigma, several thousand awareness camps have been held so far. Moreover, Ujaas is deeply involved in strengthening school and community ecosystems to support menstrual health as part of women’s rights and public health.
Capacity building of frontline workers
From education to action: Strengthening systems through frontline worker-led last-mile MHM outreach.
This approach moves beyond awareness to sustained behaviour change and system integration by focusing on the capacity building of frontline workers. Equipped with the right knowledge, tools, and skills, frontline workers—trusted community-level actors—translate learning into practice at the household and community level. They ensure consistent access to menstrual products and services, promote safe practices, and link beneficiaries with existing government systems. This last-mile engagement not only drives immediate impact but also strengthens local systems to deliver sustainable MHM solutions at scale.
Sustainable solutions and integration of MHM into systems
Ujaas champions eco-conscious menstrual practices through Ujaas Green, a reusable cloth pad initiative. By setting up a dedicated manufacturing unit, Ujaas not only promotes environmentally friendly alternatives but also generates sustainable income for local women.
This unit doubles as a centre for skill-building and capacity development, ensuring that women are not just recipients of change, but active participants in driving it.
Change the Psychle
Our endeavour to ‘Change the Psychle’ is powered by our targeted interventions, which include:
Working with communities
Central to our efforts are the grassroots partnerships we forge with communities through self-help groups (SHGs) and village organisations (VOs). These partnerships serve as catalysts for change, enabling women to take ownership of their menstrual health and economic well-being. Through capacity-building initiatives, livelihood programmes, and skill development workshops, we aim to equip women with the tools they need to lead healthier lives.
Revolutionising access to menstrual hygiene products
Ujaas’s unique approach to improve access to menstrual health products encompasses manufacturing and distribution initiatives.
In collaboration with the Gates Foundation, Ujaas Green runs a production unit for affordable, eco-friendly reusable cloth pads in Jalna district in Maharashtra, targeting underserved communities and marginalised populations. It will also open a second unit in Wardha shortly. Beyond providing essential menstrual hygiene products, this initiative creates sustainable livelihood opportunities for women, breaking the cycle of poverty and promoting economic independence.
Our groundbreaking flagship initiative, Menstrual Health Express, a travelling van operating in 25 states in collaboration with local non-profit partners, is revolutionising menstrual health awareness and accessibility nationwide by creating safe and open platforms for discussions on menstrual hygiene management (MGM).
The Menstrual Health Express has conducted extensive campaigns across 107 cities in 25 states, reaching millions of women and girls with free pads and essential knowledge about menstrual health and hygiene. The project has also trained non-profit partners to conduct MHM sessions within their respective communities, promoting awareness, dialogue and behavioural change around menstrual health. Through this initiative, we seek to empower women to manage their menstrual health with confidence and dignity, paving the way for a brighter, more equitable future for all.
Ujaas is committed to building a world where menstruation is no longer a source of shame or stigma but a symbol of strength, resilience, and empowerment.
Visit the Ujaas website to know more.