Pune: The Ujaas Menstrual Health Initiative, a flagship program by the Aditya Birla Education Trust, has entered into a transformative partnership with the Pune Government through a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance menstrual health education and accessibility in schools.
This large-scale initiative will cover 745 schools across 13 districts, directly reaching over 73,591 adolescents – and embedding menstrual health awareness within school health programs in alignment with the National Education Policy’s (NEP) emphasis on holistic student well-being.
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As part of the campaign, the Ujaas Menstrual Health Initiative will provide educational sessions, sensitization modules for boys and teachers, and distribute eco-friendly “green” sanitary pads. Each participating girl will receive four packets of sanitary pads to promote hygienic practices and improve access.
The collaboration with local Primary Health Centres (PHCs), community health workers, and educators further ensures deep-rooted engagement through structured workshops and behavior change communication.
“Menstrual health is not just a hygiene issue – it’s a matter of dignity, education, and equity,” said Poonam Patkar, Head of Ujaas. “This MoU allows us to build on our grassroots work and extend menstrual health education and access to underserved areas in a sustainable and community-driven manner.”
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Since its inception in 2021, Ujaas has reached over 5.9 lakh individuals, distributed 4.9 million sanitary pads, and conducted 18,000+ awareness sessions across Maharashtra. In Pune alone, between 2022 and 2024, Ujaas conducted 1,254 sessions, reaching nearly 50,000 beneficiaries – including girls, boys, teachers, and women in the community.
Ujaas Menstrual Health Initiative Impact
The impact of the Ujaas menstrual health initiative is backed by program evaluation data:
- Before intervention, only 57% of students could identify a menstrual cycle correctly.
- Over 31% of girls considered menstrual blood impure.
- Less than 19% knew the ideal frequency for changing sanitary materials.
- Just 50% were aware of hygiene-related health risks.
Post-intervention, these metrics improved dramatically – some by over 500%, clearly demonstrating the efficacy of Ujaas’ localized, inclusive, and sustained educational approach.
With its Menstrual Health Express mobile outreach covering 10,000+ km across 25 states and 106 cities, Ujaas continues to lead the charge in addressing period poverty and menstrual stigma, building a future where every girl can manage her period with dignity, knowledge, and confidence.
