Overview

Sanitree is a project set up by students from the University of Edinburgh who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable future for all biological women. Our project was started by third-year student Bharat Singh Chaturvedi who identified a desperate need for better access to both solution and education about menstrual hygiene in India. We are seeking to address this problem in a way that is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. Our idea is to set up microfinance initiatives in India; women will be in leadership roles, producing reusable sanitary pads for their local communities that are made from eco-friendly materials. Since coming together in September, we are already well underway with our project and have already launched a successful pilot scheme in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, India. We focused on community engagement and were able to engage with 1600+ females providing them a platform to share their stories and asking the right questions about the very natural process. The co-operative in Bhind has been revolutionary for single mothers and widows from the community who otherwise would have very limited opportunities for employment. In future, we aim to expand this dialogue to more communities. For us, innovation is a 12-year-old girl with access to a sanitary pad and the right knowledge. Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sanitree and Instagram: www.instagram.com/sani.tree for more updates. Thanks, Sanitree team