Menstrual hygiene is far more than a health issue. It shapes confidence, education, mobility, and dignity, yet it remains surrounded by silence and misinformation in many communities. In conversation with Nakiya Sadikot, Samantha Kochhar, Managing Director, Blossom Kochhar Group, shares how the Foundation’s menstrual hygiene initiative in Sector 9, Noida, is helping challenge deep-rooted taboos while equipping girls and women with the knowledge and resources they need.
The Kochhar Foundation’s work has always centred on dignity, care, and empowerment. Its decision to focus on menstrual hygiene came from recognising that a lack of awareness and access continues to prevent many girls and women from managing their periods safely and confidently.
Sector 9, Noida, was identified as a community where these challenges were especially visible. Many girls had limited access to sanitary products, while conversations around menstruation were often avoided altogether. The Foundation saw an opportunity to address both the practical and social barriers surrounding menstrual health.
CREATING SAFE CONVERSATIONS
Working with students at Bal Raksha Bharat, the Foundation found that although most girls were familiar with menstruation, many lacked essential knowledge about menstrual hygiene. Questions such as how frequently sanitary napkins should be changed, why hygiene matters, and the health risks associated with unsafe practices often remained unanswered.
More significant than the knowledge gap was the culture of silence. Many girls were hesitant to ask questions, while long-held beliefs continued to portray menstruation as something impure or shameful.
Rather than adopting a clinical approach, the Foundation created welcoming, judgement-free spaces where girls could speak openly. Using simple language and relatable examples, facilitators encouraged discussion and gradually replaced embarrassment with curiosity. For Samantha Kochhar, Managing Director, Blossom Kochhar Group, seeing that shift in confidence became one of the initiative’s greatest achievements.
KNOWLEDGE ALONGSIDE ACCESS
The programme combined education with access to menstrual hygiene products, ensuring that awareness translated into action. Interactive sessions covered menstruation, personal hygiene, safe sanitary practices, proper disposal of sanitary napkins, and the importance of using clean menstrual products. Participants also discussed common myths and misconceptions, giving girls the confidence to separate fact from fiction.
Emphasis was placed on the risks associated with using unhygienic or improperly washed cloth, which can contribute to infections, rashes, and other reproductive health concerns. By pairing practical guidance with product distribution, the Foundation aimed to empower participants to make informed decisions about their health.
CHANGING MINDSETS, ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME
The initiative reached around 650 girls and women in Sector 9, Noida, through Bal Raksha Bharat and surrounding beneficiary groups. While the long-term social impact of such programmes cannot be measured overnight, the Foundation observed encouraging signs of progress. Girls became more engaged during sessions, asked questions with greater confidence, discussed menstruation more openly, and showed an increased willingness to use sanitary napkins instead of unsafe alternatives.
These behavioural shifts, alongside improved awareness and greater access to menstrual products, suggest that meaningful change often begins with honest conversations.
MAKING MENSTRUAL HEALTH EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY
The Kochhar Foundation believes menstrual health cannot be treated solely as a women’s issue. Kochhar points out that fathers, husbands, and community leaders are often absent from these conversations, not because they lack concern, but because they have never been encouraged to participate.
The Foundation’s approach has therefore been to normalise discussions around menstruation and position it as an issue of health and dignity rather than embarrassment. As Kochhar explains, “When girls have access to menstrual hygiene products and correct information, they are healthier, more confident, and more likely to continue their education and daily activities without disruption.”
BUILDING LASTING CHANGE
For the Kochhar Foundation, awareness is not a one-time campaign. “A single drive can start the conversation, but sustained change needs repetition, reinforcement, and community support,” says Kochhar.
The Foundation plans to continue its efforts through follow-up engagements, partnerships with local organisations, and CSR initiatives focused on women’s health, dignity, and empowerment, ensuring that menstrual hygiene remains part of an ongoing dialogue rather than a single intervention.
Reflecting on the initiative, Kochhar recalls the transformation she witnessed during the sessions. “At the beginning, many of them were shy, looking down, unsure whether they could even ask questions. But as the session progressed, they began to listen more actively, smile, respond, and share their doubts,” she says. For her, the experience reaffirmed a simple truth: menstrual health is not a private inconvenience but a public issue linked to education, wellbeing, and equality.
She leaves with a message that captures the spirit of the Foundation’s work: “Menstrual hygiene is not just about products; it is about dignity. And dignity should never be a privilege.”