It seems apt following on from my post on Saturday about Inspiring Change to see this article about Arunachalam Muruganantham, the man working to invent a machine which will make cheap sanitary pads for women in India, and other developing countries. He is described as “the Indian Sanitary Pad Revolutionary”.
As a woman, it is almost unthinkable not to be able to reach for sanitary protection when my period is due. I imagine that even in the extremes of desperateness, I would never resort to using some rags that I wasn’t subsequently able to wash and dry. Can you imagine how a basic lack of sanitary provision would affect your life? How much your confidence would be affected?
The title of my post today is mocking the advertising that we see for these products in the UK – it’s all rollerskates and shorts or white trousers – and I’m sure you could sing along to the advert. However, the fact is that sanitary protection is liberating and the marketing people are just looking for a metaphor to be able to advertise their product without offence. I do remember the first tv adverts in the early 80’s and there was quite a bit of shock that it could be advertised this way.
What I am most impressed by is Arunachalam’s humble attitude in working to create better opportunities for women to support themselves: “Anyone with an MBA would immediately accumulate the maximum money. But I did not want to. Why? Because from childhood I know no human being died because of poverty – everything happens because of ignorance.”
I hope that he is successful in taking his product to a wider audience in the third world.
Read the full article on the BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26260978
I'd love to hear your comments on this post
Gillian Lewis
I help clients become happier and more confident by giving them a Makeover from the Inside Out to change their internal and external view of themselves.
I'm not really interested in fashion, just what clothes can do for your self-image - that's where the Forget Fashion blog title originated, so I won't be doing much commentary on the latest catwalk styles.Instead, I write about things I come across in life that make me reflect.Sometimes it's serious.Sometimes it's just fun.Hopefully you'll like my writing style, find what I write about interesting and enjoy the experience.If you do, share the love using the boxes below - thank you 😀
Latest posts by Gillian Lewis (see all)
- The Guy on “First Dates” - 01/10/2015
- Have your “Colours Done” for FREE! - 01/10/2015
- Does comparing yourself affect your confidence? - 18/09/2015
About Gillian Lewis
