IRDRP Trust’s Safepad project in Chennai, India

 April 16, 2021

Institute of Research and Development for the Rural Poor (IRDRP) Trust was registered in 1989 with the aim of providing support to the most vulnerable people.

IRDRP Trust works in rural communities to offer girls quality education. A component of their project is skill development and training hoping to develop the local community while offering opportunities to the people involved.

In the beginning of 2021, IRDRP Trust introduced Safepad reusable antimicrobial sanitary pads to the girls in need and now the first livelihood manufacturing unit has been established in Chennai to support the local community and to empower more women.

Safepad is a highly effective, reusable menstrual pad with permanent antimicrobial effect, reducing fungi and bacteria during use. This property is preserved after washing, even if washed with contaminated water. With a lifespan of at least two years, Safepad considerably reduces the environmental impact compared to disposable sanitary pads.

A focus on safe menstruation is key in the community and a focus for future development.

The IRDRP Trust Safepad project will contribute to strengthening the living conditions of the women and girls involved and better equip them to claim their civil, cultural, economic and social rights, while offering new hope and enterprise. In short, the project contributes to the empowerment and equality of Indian women for the benefit of long-term economic growth and societal development.