Through her biodegradable sanitary pads brand Apna Green, Aruna Dara has started a movement for underprivileged women. She talks about her journey and emerging as one of the five winners of the Union government’s Prajjwala Challenge.
She had been a housewife for over 15 years when Aruna Dara came upon the idea of crafting biodegradable sanitary pads from substances like banana fibre, rose petals and even lavender. It was after a friend began writing a paper on menstrual hygiene and related challenges in India.
“While reading my friend’s paper I realised that there is a need for sustainable alternatives to commercial sanitary napkins in tier-2 towns and villages of India. Plastic sanitary pads aren’t just toxic to the environment but they are also bad for the users’ wellbeing,” she said over the phone from Hyderabad.
Dara is among the top five winners of Prajjwala Challenge, a contest held by the Ministry of Rural Development to showcase ideas that are transforming rural India.
Initially what started as a purely business venture has now evolved into a movement for women from socio-economically weaker sections as well. The premise of the Apna Green brand is that when most of the ingredients for these napkins are sourced locally – materials like banana fibre and rose petals which are available in most parts of the country – production can be decentralised and encouraged in any region.
Apna Green currently has 13 independent production facilities across Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Goa. The firm works with local self-help groups to generate employment for women at the district and village level, with a workforce of about 300 women. The northeastern states have also invited Apna Green to begin work there.
“We are targeting women in every age group,” said Dara. “Besides production, we also train the local women in marketing modalities. This is vital for us because marketing a good product is what can enable us to compete with MNC brands.”
The current annual turnover of the company, which is about five years old, is Rs 1 crore.
Watch: Pad perfect – championing menstrual hygiene
Dara says her brand also encourages women with limited means to make the switch from plastic pads to biodegradable ones. A pack of six pads is priced at Rs 50.
“We tell women that if they can buy vegetables for Rs 100, they must use Rs 50 for the sake of sustainable menstrual hygiene. Most rural women still prefer reusable cloth pads, but that is where our marketing skills are tested,” she said, adding that Apna Green pads absorb 120 ml of liquid, which is comparable to the other sustainable napkin brands available in the market.
Dara believes that as their production capacity increases, and with her word-of-mouth marketing strategies in place, the demand for her product will only go up. Besides commercial success, Apna Green has also been witnessing accolades coming its way. Dara has been given recognition by the Telangana state government and also won SIDBI’s Best Product Award.
Dara likes to share the credit with everyone who works with her on these biodegradable sanitary pads.
“Success is not just about the product, but also the people,” she said.
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The lead image at the top shows Aruna Dara at the Apna Green facility. (Photo by Sri Karthik)
This is the first write-up in a series of articles featuring the winners of the Prajjwala Challenge, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to look for ideas and solutions around innovative technologies, inclusive growth and enhanced women entrepreneurship, among others. It has been crafted by MoRD, with Transform Rural India (TRI) as a programme partner. The story is being published to highlight use of science and technology-based social impact innovation and solutions in India under Manthan, an initiative led by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India.
Smriti Mukerji is a journalist turned freelance writer based out of New Delhi.
