Earlier this year, ISLF gave an assistance of SLR 500,000 to Sinidu towards this noble cause

The India Sri Lanka Foundation (ISLF) is supporting a project carried out by a local NGO to meet the sanitary needs of underprivileged women in Sri Lanka.

The India Sri Lanka Foundation hosted an event on Tuesday to introduce the project which is being carried by Sinidu Foundation, said a statement of the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Sinidu Foundation is undertaking a project in the area of health and hygiene, which is for women, to women and by women.

In her presentation, Rifa Musthapha, Co-chair of Sinidu Foundation pointed out that approximately 50% women in Sri Lanka are non-users of sanitary napkins because of high cost, the statement said.

Inspired by the innovation of Dr. Arunachalam Muruganantham (popularly known as ‘Padman’ in India), Sinidu sourced low-cost napkin machine and raw materials from India for producing low-cost biodegradable sanitary napkins for underprivileged women in Sri Lanka, it noted.

Musthapha stressed that Sinidu Foundation can replicate this model across the country whereby women’s group will not only produce the low-cost sanitary napkins but will also help in employment generation, the High Commission statement said.

Earlier this year, ISLF has given an assistance of SLR 500,000 to Sinidu towards this noble cause, it mentioned.

Speaking on this occasion, Gopal Baglay, High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka highlighted the role of women in the progress and prosperity of nations, the statement said.

Appreciating the developments in this regard in India and ‘Sinidu’ for undertaking this project in the area of health and hygiene, Baglay stressed the need for organizing awareness camps on the project, especially in rural areas, it stated.

Since its inception in 1998, the India – Sri Lanka Foundation has been continuously fostering people-to-people ties between the two countries through economic, education, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation, the statement said.

The specific focus of the ISLF pivots around supporting creative initiatives and bringing together the youth and the civil societies of the two countries for growth and prosperity, it said.

Till date, the Foundation has funded more than 300 projects worth SLR.150 million and currently 20 projects in the areas of research, art & culture, social work, science and technology etc. are in progress, the High Commission said.

The event was attended Baglay, who is so the Co-chairperson of ISLF, members of diplomatic corps, representatives from World Bank and Colombo Plan, Rifa Musthapha and Jazaya Mohinudeen, Co-chairs of Sinidu Foundation, Professor Maithree Wikramasinghe, and other women leaders from various walks of life.