Saroj Gurjar is a 21-year-old woman from a rural area of Rajasthan. Her family of seven is supported only by her father’s farm work, and their financial needs often go unmet. Saroj has been interested in creative activities since childhood, and she learned about the Grameen Vikas Shodh Evam Takniki Kendra (GVSTK) program, supported by Share & Care, in November of 2021. There, she participated in various workshops and learned about many of the issues facing her community, particularly the lack of access to menstrual products among women and girls in her village. These products were unavailable in her village, and women had to travel 5-7 kilometers to purchase them at a great expense.
Inspired to get involved, Saroj participated in a two-day training and learned to make sanitary napkins, as well as how to source the raw materials, operate the necessary machines and tools, and market her products. Working with other women who participated in the training, she has produced 250 packets of sanitary napkins, earning an income of Rs. 8,750. Saroj’s entrepreneurial spirit has helped her grow and become more independent, allowed her to support her family, and helped provide much-needed goods for other women in her community.
