Celebrating Ujaas
Celebrating Ujaas
About Ujaas
Ujaas, an initiative by Aditya Birla Education Trust aims to create a positive and sustainable impact in the menstrual health landscape in India by reducing period poverty and by empowering adolescent girls and women to adopt effective menstrual health and hygiene management practises. Ujaas is a social endeavour that fosters the young and future generations with a CHANGE-centric approach. Working on deep-rooted problems, stigmas, taboos, and challenges that even boil down to mental health and reproductive issues, Ujaas envisions itself as a change. We strongly believe that change starts from within & we are here to propel the same through awareness and education.
Advaitesha Birla
Founder of Ujaas
Think of all the adolescent girls who are afraid of their periods and held back in every aspect of life due to that fear. The menstrual health landscape of India needs to transform, drastically and immediately. A woman must never be afraid or ashamed of her periods. Period.
Ujaas, meaning brightness or light, is a heartfelt, grassroots initiative that is endeavouring to: create awareness about menstrual health and management, dispel the stigmas associated with it, and provide access to affordable sanitary products and basic hygiene facilities to women. By providing sustainable interventions to reduce period poverty, we are attempting to empower adolescent girls and women so that they may achieve their full potential and impact society positively.
Driven by Purpose
Our Mission
Our Vision
Empowerment Through Awareness, Access & Sustainability
Awareness
Ujaas is a social endeavour by the women, of the women & for the women of the country. We empower them and push towards combating problems related to menstrual health.
We aim to empower adolescents and communities through direct interventions alongside capacity-building of frontline workers, teachers, and other key stakeholders who closely engage with adolescents. By combining these efforts, we strengthen systems and ensure sustainable knowledge and long-term impact.
Menstrual Health Express
Our on-wheels Menstrual Health Express takes the talk directly to underserved communities across India. The mobile unit serves as a safe space for learning, dialogue, and distribution, ensuring that geography is never a barrier to menstrual health.
Access For All
We ensure affordable, quality menstrual products reach those who need them most through community distribution, partnerships, and local networks. Ensuring that periods are managed safely.
Bridging the gap between education and affordability for all menstruators.
Following the awareness sessions, the program works to ensure that every schoolgirl has access to sanitary napkins, helping her manage menstruation with dignity and confidence.
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Eco-friendly: Reducing environmental impact with reusable materials.
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Cost-effective: Providing affordability and sustainability in menstruation management.
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Super absorbency: Ensuring reliable protection for extended use.
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Chemical-free: Promoting health with natural cotton fabric materials.
Empowering Women for Sustainable Change
We actively engage Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to localize production, distribution, and education around menstrual health. Creating livelihoods while ensuring health access for all.
UJAAS, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, aims to promote sustainable livelihoods for members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) while addressing the critical issue of menstrual hygiene.
As part of this effort, Ujaas Green, a cloth sanitary pad manufacturing unit, was established to create livelihood opportunities for women and promote environmentally sustainable menstrual hygiene products. The initiative was developed through strategic partnerships with donors and government agencies which supported the establishment and operationalisation of the unit.
The unit was officially launched on 13 February 2024, providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for 20 SHG women. Through this initiative, women are engaged in the production of reusable cloth sanitary pads, contributing to both income generation and the promotion of eco-friendly menstrual hygiene solutions.
Ujaas Green leverages the collective strength of Self-Help Groups to advance women’s empowerment by building skills, strengthening financial literacy, and fostering collective support systems. By enabling women to participate in income-generating activities, the initiative encourages them to take greater control of their financial well-being.
Efforts That Move The Needle
awareness sessions conducted across schools & communities
lives touched and transformed
Sanitary Pads distributed