Posts

Showing posts with the label Indian Women

Readers Choice

Navigating the Unknown: Leadership in an Era of Uncertainty

Image
 Leading through the mists of uncertainty can feel formidable; yet, it unveils a chance to display resilience, adaptability, and visionary leadership. Here are a tapestry of strategies to amplify your prowess in traversing unpredictable realms: Embrace Flexibility and Adaptability Stay Agile: Nurture a malleable work atmosphere that empowers teams to swiftly shift and respond to emerging insights and changing tides. Iterative Planning: Break down long-term visions into smaller, manageable milestones that can be recalibrated as needed, allowing for continual reassessment and evolution. Communicate Transparently Honest Updates: Keep your team apprised of the current landscape, even when the news is less than favorable. Transparency begets trust and ensures collective alignment. Open Dialogue: Foster a space where team members feel emboldened to express their concerns and ideas, enriching insights and uplifting morale. Focus on What You Can Control Identify Priorities: Direct your ene...

The MIT Startup Giving Indian Women Access To Biodegradable Sanitary Pads

Image
What began as a class project at MIT has taken a life of its own in India as a full-on startup, with the aim of bringing one million affordable, biodegradable, sanitary pads — made of banana fiber — to rural women in India. Saathi Pads started out as a design for a sanitary pad machine in Amrita Saigal’s senior design class at MIT in 2012 — the idea was to create a blueprint for a low-cost method of manufacturing sanitary pads, to promote access to the product for women across India. The subject of menstrual health, so long taboo in India, has experienced rising awareness in very recent years. Current estimates say that  88% of menstruating women  in the country are forced to use homemade alternatives such as rags, newspapers, wood shavings, even ash, due to lack of menstrual awareness and access to products. A Saathi Pads workshop in Ranchi, India. Photo courtesy of Saathi Pads. Saathi Pads estimate rural girls miss up to 50 days of school a year as a result ...