Kumbalangi: 1st sanitary napkin free village of India

Kumbalangi, which is one of the major attractions for tourists in Kochi is in news again.

The Ernakulam district village has become the first-ever sanitary napkin-free village in India, after the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan declared the panchayat as napkin-free recently.

While menstruation is considered a taboo topic in most parts of rural India, under the initiative ‘Avalkayi’, meaning 'for her' is being implemented in the Kumbalangi Village.

Apparently, under the scheme, more than 5,000 menstrual cups are distributed among girls and women and they have been given training by volunteers for three months about their use and advantages.

According to a study, there are 199 brands of menstrual cups available in 99 countries but awareness is low.

Hence, the campaign aims at making women aware of the advantages of menstrual cups and dispelling their fears because the initiative will not only help reduce pollution caused by synthetic napkins but also ensure personal hygiene for working women and students.

The menstrual cups are made of medical-grade silicone, rubber, or plastic and can be re-used for many years, which makes them a better option over sanitary pads or tampons.

Kumbalangi village holds the title of India’s first model tourism village and is situated 35 km away from Cochin International Airport. Surrounded by backwaters the village is home to nearly 1,20,000 residents including fishermen, farmers, labourers, toddy tappers and coir spinners.