Myna Mahila Foundation

The Myna Mahila Foundation (MMF) is an Indian organization which empowers women by encouraging discussion of taboo subjects such as menstruation, and by setting up workshops to produce low-cost sanitary protection to enable girls to stay in school. It was founded by Suhani Jalota in 2015 while she was studying at Duke University.[1]

Myna Mahila Foundation
Founded2015
FocusEncouraging open conversations around menstruation & enabling low-cost sanitary products
Location
Websitemynamahila.com

The foundation's name comes from the Myna bird, famously talkative, and the word "Mahila" for "Woman".[2]

In 2016 Glamour magazine listed the foundation's founder Jalota as one of its "College Women of the Year".[3]

It was one of the seven organisations nominated by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to receive donations in lieu of wedding presents when the couple married on 19 May 2018.[4][5][6] In 2017 Markle wrote an article about the foundation for Time magazine, with the title "How Periods Affect Potential", after a trip to Delhi and Mumbai with World Vision where she met and shadowed women involved.[2] The same year Markle included the foundation's founder Jalota in a list of "The Ten Women Who Changed My Life" in Glamour magazine.[7]

Purpose

Apart from encouraging conversations around taboo subjects such as menstruation, the foundation provides stable employment to women dwelling in slums by encouraging them to manufacture low cost sanitary napkins that they can sell back into their communities at a fraction of the cost, thus improving menstrual hygiene of the communities too and empowering the women. [8][9]

Current Work

With about 3000 customers, the foundation employs about 35 women, 15 of whom work as manufacturers and the other 20 work as saleswomen for the product. They expect to reach 10000 customers by the end of 2018.[9] It also empowers its staff by training them in women's health, English, Math, and life skills such as self-defence. [10] On the support received via the royal wedding, founder Jalota said that it would further help them expand their reach into the urban slums in Mumbai. [11]

References
  1. "Suhani Jalota". Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Duke University. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  2. Markle, Meghan (8 March 2017). "How Periods Affect Potential". Time. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  3. Militare, Jessica. "2016 College Women of the Year: Suhani Jalota". Glamour. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  4. "No wedding gift please, give aid to Mumbai charity: Harry and Meghan". Hindustan Times. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  5. "Royal wedding: Harry and Meghan ask for charity donations". BBC News. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  6. "Royal Wedding Charitable Donations". The Royal Household. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  7. Markle, Meghan (15 August 2017). "The Ten Women Who Changed My Life". Glamour. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  8. "Myna Foundation's Suhani Jalota Dons a Saree at Royal Wedding". The Quint. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  9. Pathak, Ankur (18 May 2018). "Inside Myna Mahila, The Indian Charity Transforming Women's Lives That's Been Invited To The Royal Wedding". Huffington Post. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  10. "Myna Mahila Foundation". The Home of the Royal Family. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  11. "Epitome of Indian beauty: Myna Mahila Foundation members wear saree to the royal wedding". Economic Times. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.


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