The village of Aminabad Urf Baragoan in Uttar Pradesh achieved a groundbreaking milestone on World Menstrual Hygiene Day. It became the first ‘sanitary pad-free village’ in the state. The achievement is due to the support of startup MildCares, which is also supported by the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur. It distributed innovative GynoCup menstrual cups to women to mark a significant step forward in menstrual hygiene management, environmental sustainability and women’s health empowerment.
GynoCup menstrual cups offer some significant benefits compared to traditional sanitary pads. The cups are reusable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly too. Disposable pads usually lead to significant waste and pollution while menstrual cups are used for several years. It reduces environmental impact. It is safe and more hygienic as well. it lowers infection risk and simultaneously promotes better overall menstrual health.
The initiative of MildCares has helped the women in managing menstrual hygiene effectively and abreast to it a larger goal of environmental sustainability has been achieved. Women of Aminabad Urf Baragoan are now reducing reliance on disposable pads. This has led to reducing environmental footprint in the village.
Dr. Nikhil Agarwal, CEO of SIIC at IIT Kanpur, stated that the switch to reusable menstrual cups cuts waste as well as significantly reduces environmental footprint. The initiative showcase the commitment of IIT Kanpur to social change as it is supporting innovative startups like MildCares.
MildCares co-founder Rachna Vyas highlighted the importance of education as well as community participation in the success. She said that the success of Aminabad Urf Baragoan illustrates the impact of extensive education and community participation. She is also head of the Switch2Cup Initiative.
