Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Apexon Partners with Karma Foundation for menstrual health initiative across India

Ahmedabad, India: Apexon, a digital-first technology services company, is partnering with Karma Foundation to launch a unique campaign to drive menstrual wellness and hygiene awareness across India. The ‘Happy Periods’ initiative is being driven through Apexon’s philanthropy platform, Ignite, and will see the two organizations join forces to manufacture and distribute sanitary products to economically challenged women across India.

At an event held in Makarba Police Headquarter, Ahmedabad in the presence of dignitaries including Ms. Megha Tever- DYSP, Gujarat Police, popular radio presenter and female empowerment advocate RJ Pooja Dalal, Chiranjiv Patel- Founder, Karma Foundation, Ms. Sharmishtha Chaudhary- Police Sub-Inspector, Ashok Karania- Head of Apexon Ignite and Geetanjali Sahni- founding member of Apexon Ignite, over 5000 sanitary pads were distributed to more than 100 Women Police.

The Happy Periods sanitary pads distribution drive is an end-to-end initiative which includes the manufacturing of sanitary pads and distribution of free sanitary packets to women in disadvantaged areas, combined with menstrual health educational material and awareness sessions on the ground. Coinciding with International Women’s Day, the initiative will take place over the entire month of March.

The initiative will benefit over 10,000 women and girls belonging to underserved communities. A total of over 62,500 packets, each containing eight sanitary pads, will be distributed by Karma and Ignite volunteers across several States in India including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa, Rajasthan, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Pondicherry, and Chandigarh.

The Sabarmati Saheli pads will also be given to all our partner schools, NGOs and all Apexers, who will further distribute it to the local community.

The ‘Sabarmati Saheli’ sanitary pads are being manufactured by the female inmates of Sabarmati Mahila Jail, allowing the inmates to learn important skills for their future careers while positively contributing to society. Ignite and Karma Foundation aim to provide dignity, vocational skills and financial opportunities to more than 60 inmates at Sabarmati Jail, Ahmedabad through various training activities.

“Menstrual health remains an overlooked and taboo subject even today and not all women are able to access the critical resources and awareness that are essential menstrual hygiene and health in India,” said Ashok Karania, Head, Apexon Ignite. “Apexon Ignite’s Happy Periods initiative is aimed at bridging this gap and lifting thousands of women out of shame and set them onto a better path for their future menstrual and mental health.

“Furthermore, we are especially proud of the women inmates of the Sabarmati prison who have made these pads. We are humbled by the success of our Sabarmati Saheli program to impart vocational training to these women and set them on a path to economic and financial independence after their release,” Karania added.

Commending Apexon for their support, Mr. Chiranjiv Patel-Founder of Karma Foundation said: “It has been great working with Apexon’s Ignite on this initiative. We are completely aligned in our purpose of improving the lives of people in disadvantaged areas and it meshes very well with our “Right to Cleanliness” menstrual awareness campaign. We thank all the Ignite and Karma volunteers for their support in making this important initiative a reality.”