Johnson & Johnson India’s Stayfree® Women For Change Foundation Partners WithTribhuvandas Foundation In Gujarat

The Stayfree Women for Change Foundation and Tribhuvandas Foundation are joining hands topromote better menstrual health and hygiene for women in Anand and Kheda districts of Gujarat.

New Delhi (I-Newswire) January 15, 2013 - Even today in India, many girls miss school, and gradually drop out as they enter adolescence, primarily due to lack of knowledge and access to amenities that ensure proper health and hygiene. Similarly, many women suffer from infections due to lack of proper menstrual hygiene, resulting in poor health, adding to their healthcare burden and resulting in loss of wages as they have to remain absent from work.

The Stayfree Women for Change Foundation and Tribhuvandas Foundation are joining hands topromote better menstrual health and hygiene for women in Anand and Kheda districts of Gujarat. This partnership will positively impact 5 lakh women in 857 villages. The company will support the training of Program Coordinators, Paramedics and Volunteers of Tribhuvandas Foundation on menstrual health and hygiene. They in turn will counsel the village women. Additionally through thisinitiative, Stayfree Secure sanitary napkins will be provided to these women through the Tribhuvandas Foundation at a subsidized rate. This program was conceived and conceptualized after Tribhuvandas Foundation discovered that poor menstrual hygiene was a significant contributor to morbidity of menstruating women in these 2 districts.The sanitary napkin penetration of households in Gujarat is estimated to be 8%.

Johnson & Johnson India’s Stayfree brand under the aegis of Stayfree® Women for Change movement believes that a healthy,hygienic life is the right of every girl and woman.The aim of this movement is to improve health and hygiene management amongst girls and women in India, aiding their social and economic empowerment.

Dr. Viren Doshi, Chief Executive Officer said, “Tribhuvandas Foundation’s efforts would now get added impetus with this partnership. Apart from having knowledge-base and skills, we would be equipped with products for maintaining better menstrual hygiene and care that can be availed by women at affordable costs, a tangible impact on the health of women.”

Johnson & Johnson Women’s Health Franchise, General Marketing Manager, Mr. Neeraj Goyal says, “As a leading playerin providing menstrual hygiene solutions to women of India, we recognize it is our responsibility to bring about a positive change in the lives of women through Stayfree® which can enable, empowerand also help the communities to which they belong. Our partnership with Tribhuvandas Foundation is an important step in this direction and we are committed to help improve hygiene levels of women in these 857 villages.”

About Tribhuvandas Foundation:
TribhuvandasKishibhai Patel - The founder Chairman of the Kheda District Milk Producers Cooperative Union, better known as AMUL, is the founder of the Tribhuvandas Foundation. He recognized the importance of health and hygiene of milk suppliers in Anand and Kheda districts and set up this not-for-profit organisation with the aim to provide healthcare services to them and the people of Anand and Kheda districts. Since early eighties, Tribhuvandas Foundation has been providing maternal and child health care services of primary level to villages of this area of central Gujarat. Tribhuvandas Foundation (TF) has a very unique programming that leads to community and women’s empowerment and this is entirely supported by the community itself. The women volunteers have been trained into paramedics and have been providing quality services – right from home-based menstrual care, pregnancy and post-delivery care to neonatal care and child care.

About Stayfree® Women for Change:
Stayfree Women for Change is an initiative to support marginalized girls and women with equal opportunities by providing them improved health and hygiene facilities through health education, training and access to health and hygiene amenities, thus empowering them. For more information visit - www.stayfreewomenforchange.com