Enactus Nationals 2021 | Enactus VITC | Project Naari | Project Pooranya | MSC

Summary

Enactus VIT Chennai drives impactful social change through entrepreneurial initiatives like Project Nadi and Project Puranya. Project Nadi focuses on menstrual health by educating menstruators and providing biodegradable sanitary pads, empowering women and promoting environmental sustainability. Project Puranya addresses textile waste by upcycling discarded fabrics into valuable products, creating jobs for women in underserved communities. Together, these projects aim to improve lives, reduce waste, and foster sustainable growth, while also creating opportunities for women in challenging economic conditions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Project Nadi focuses on raising awareness about menstrual health and providing eco-friendly sanitary pads, especially in economically backward zones.
• 🌱 Project Nadi's biodegradable sanitary pads are made from banana fiber and biodegradable materials, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic pads.
• 💪 Project Nadi partnered with various organizations, conducting 37+ sessions and distributing 2,100 pads to impact communities in slums.
• 🛍️ Through crowdfunding, Project Nadi raised ₹3.5 lakh to support the production of eco-friendly pads and to expand its operations.
• 🏭 In 2021, Project Nadi set up a production plant in the slums of Thirusalam, employing women and creating jobs in the community.
• 📱 Project Nadi aims to launch a period tracker app to provide all-around menstrual assistance, including features like pad counters and podcasts.
• 🌍 Project Puranya addresses textile waste by upcycling fabrics into valuable products like bags, masks, and hair accessories, helping reduce landfill waste.
• 👩‍🔧 Project Puranya's workforce consists of eight women who upcycled 200 kilograms of fabric, generating ₹1.65 lakh in revenue and promoting financial stability.
• 💼 Project Puranya collaborates with local markets, small businesses, and NGOs, creating employment and promoting sustainable living.
• 🎓 Project Puranya conducted a virtual workshop to teach fabric skills to 200 participants, empowering youth with practical skills in upcycling.

Q & A

What is the primary mission of Project Nadi?

The primary mission of Project Nadi is to educate and raise awareness regarding menstrual health and hygiene, especially in economically backward zones, and to provide eco-friendly sanitary pads as a sustainable alternative.

How did Project Nadi address the problem of menstrual health awareness in India?

Project Nadi conducted over 37 online and offline awareness sessions in 12+ schools, educating more than 365 menstruators, and collaborated with various organizations to distribute over 2100 sanitary pads to individuals in slums.

What challenge did Project Nadi face regarding sanitary pad waste, and how did they solve it?

Project Nadi realized that synthetic sanitary pads contribute to a massive environmental issue, generating 12.3 billion sanitary wastes every year. They tackled this by developing biodegradable sanitary pads using natural materials such as banana fiber.

What was the initial funding model for Project Nadi's eco-friendly sanitary pads?

Project Nadi started its eco-friendly pad production through a crowdfunding campaign, raising 3 lakh 50 thousand rupees from over 495 donors globally.

How did Project Nadi scale up its production and workforce?

By 2023, Project Nadi set up a production plant in the slums of Thirusalam and trained eight women to manufacture biodegradable pads, aiming to expand the workforce and set up vending machines and incinerators for better waste management.

What additional feature did Project Nadi introduce for menstrual assistance?

Project Nadi introduced a period tracker app with features like pad counters, period tracking, and podcasts to support menstruators in managing their menstrual health.

How did Project Nadi expand its outreach to a larger audience?

Project Nadi expanded its outreach through collaborations with Psafe, participating in radio shows with Big FM 92.7 Tamil, reaching an audience of over 1 lakh people.

What is the core objective of Project Puranya?

The core objective of Project Puranya is to address textile waste by upcycling old fabrics into useful products like bags, home accessories, and hair accessories, while empowering women to earn a livelihood.

How did Project Puranya sustain its operations during the pandemic?

Despite the pandemic, Project Puranya continued to thrive by collaborating with various organizations, such as Oscrap Madras, to produce fabric-based products like fabric books and dolls, and by supplying masks to a disabled women's shelter.

What is the long-term vision for Project Puranya?

The long-term vision for Project Puranya includes expanding its product range, increasing sales, and helping its workforce become financially independent by doubling their wages. Additionally, the project aims to recycle over 220 kilograms of fabric in the coming year.