The other day , I was travelling by a local train to the
suburbs of Kolkata . At one particular station, few teenage school girls boarded the train .
Two girls took their seats just opposite me . They were chatting about classes
, friends and all the good things in their life . Reminded me of my own school days! Suddenly ,
the word “ Sanitary Vending Machine “
struck me . And I got interested , majorly of my association in activities
related to public hygiene . So, I went on listening and got to understand
that one of the girl’s menstruation cycle was about to begin and she was asking
for a sanitary napkin from her friend .
Since , her friend was not carrying the same , she assured her friend
about availability of the napkins at the school as her school have installed a
sanitary vending machine and sanitary napkins destroyer very recently . Such open discussion about personal hygiene ,
especially about menstruation , were
never heard among suburban or rural
school students . Mostly considered to be a taboo , most teenage girls
used to be absent during their menstruation period . Some , even ,were afraid to go for exams
while their period cycle is on . But,
things are changing now-a-days . With the advent of Sanitary vending machines
, sanitary napkins are now easily accessible to the school students . In most
Govt. schools , the napkins are supplied for free, while for private schools ,
the napkins are available at a very nominal cost .
With the ease in availability , students are now carrying
back home stories of how to maintain personal hygiene. So, even parents are
getting information on the possibilities of eradication of infection, diseases
caused due to improper & unhygienic practices . This strategic approach by
the Government health agencies , have helped
develop a cleaner household & a mature mentality in handling issues related
to personal hygiene .
Such a change could have never been possible without a sanitary
vending machine . It helped teenage girls in the following ways :
1 .Immediate access to napkins anytime
of the day to meet menstrual emergencies.
2. Convenience of purchasing the
product independently
3. Self dispensing of the napkin at
the drop of coin / token
4. Saves the embarrassment of seeking
napkins from authorities
5. Physical inspection window for
availability of napkins
6. Vending Machine is easily wall
mountable and can be fixed inside
the girl’s toilet
A large portion of India is still
trying to learn the usage of sanitary napkins . But , I am quite optimistic
that the sanitary vending machines have helped start a low key revolution among the rural women population . It will take some time,
but eventually it will help bring the change in the thought process of parents , womenfolk & society in particular .
