Patna: In the depths of India’s Covid-19 lockdown, when livelihoods vanished almost overnight, an elected village head in Bihar began work on a project she hoped would outlast the crisis: affordable sanitary pads made by and for rural women.
In Dawana panchayat, in the Jagdishpur block of Bhojpur district, Sushumalata Kushwaha – now widely known locally as the “Pad Wali Mukhiya” – set up a semi-automatic sanitary pad manufacturing unit to tackle both unemployment and menstrual hygiene.
Kushwaha, who holds a master’s degree in social work, was elected head of Dawana panchayat in 2016 after her marriage in 2012. She said the idea took shape during a meeting in which women raised concerns about poor menstrual hygiene and the high cost of commercially available sanitary products.
With support from the district administration and a government grant of Rs 10 lakh, the panchayat installed the manufacturing machine. Additional funds were later used to complete the plant. Production began under the brand name “Sangini”.
Today, more than 10 local women – members of self-help groups commonly known as Jeevika Didis – work at the unit close to their homes. They manage the entire process, from procuring raw materials to cutting, folding, packaging and marketing the pads.
In a single eight-hour shift, the unit produces about 4,500 pads a day. The ultra-thin, extra-large pads, with a stated absorption capacity of 100ml, are sold in packs of six for Rs 23 – significantly lower than the price of many branded alternatives. The women distribute the packets across nearby villages and panchayats.
The initiative has also confronted entrenched taboos. At the outset, Kushwaha said, many women and girls in rural households were reluctant to switch from cloth, long used as a traditional alternative. To encourage change, she and the self-help group members conducted door-to-door awareness campaigns on menstrual hygiene.
Acceptance has since grown, particularly among adolescent girls, though some hesitation remains. Kushwaha said there were plans to expand distribution to other districts and to supply government-run residential girls’ hostels.
For the panchayat head, the project represents more than a small-scale manufacturing venture. It is an attempt to link economic self-reliance with public health in rural Bihar – creating jobs for women while challenging stigma around menstruation.
