The Red Lotus is a project aimed at resolving the issue of improper disposal of menstrual waste. The picture in the post was taken by Atyantika, our co-founder and director, who visited the waste disposal facility in our locality. It was after her visit that we realized how deep-rooted this issue truly is. The sanitation workers had pitiful accounts about how, while being given the necessary equipment to carry out the segregation process in a healthy way, they are simply not able to do so due to the callousness of the residents. We were informed about how they have a proper machine to dispose of sanitary pads, but due to the unwillingness of menstruators to properly wrap their pads/tampons in a newspaper, they are not able to make use of it. Thus, it is all collectively incinerated, the consequences of which are environmental pollution. Workers also highlighted how they are not given gloves to segregate the waste. More pictures from Atyantika’s visit are available on our website in the gallery section.
The experience was eye-opening. We can only imagine that if this prevails in a literate, educated society, what the situation must be in parts of rural India. Hence, this is the main project we are focusing on: to encourage women to wrap their sanitary napkins properly, and to ensure that the sanitation workers are equipped with all necessary implements to carry out the segregation.
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About Sanitation Workers
The Red Lotus
“For the sake of your convenience why should these workers touch someone else’s menstrual waste?” says Sunita, the head sanitary worker.
Atyantika, co-founder and director of The Red Lotus, during her visit to the local sanitation plant talked to the sanitation workers employed at the plant.
The sanitation workers recounted their pitiful accounts about how, while being given the necessary equipment to carry out the segregation process in a healthy way, they are simply not able to do so due to the callousness of the residents. Atyantika found out that the plant has a proper machine to dispose of sanitary pads, but the machine requires a relatively large quantity of sanitary waste as input to be operated efficiently. The workers are not able to utilise this machine because of the unwillingness of menstruators in the residential area to properly wrap their pads/tampons in a newspaper. The menstruators in the residential area do not segregate waste, some even throw used pads in wet waste without any sort of wrapping or covering. When such unsegregated waste is brought to the plant, the workers refuse to separate the waste by hand, rightfully so. Thus, it is all collectively incinerated, the consequences of which are environmental pollution.
Be sure to follow us on our socials and subscribe to our blog to join us on our journey to make change one woman at a time!
Sunita’s Story- The Red Lotus
Sunita is in many ways an ordinary woman. She has a home, a family and she works hard to support them. Her infectious smile eases her commanding presence as she towers over everybody in the room. However in many ways, she is extraordinary. Coming into work – work that is 10 kilometers away from the shelter of her home – on a rusty scooty, all she is armed with is her desire for a better life.
Work is not easy. Employed at our community’s local sanitation plant for 6 years, she is now the supervisor for the others employed at the plant. Sorting through others’ refuse is not easy, yet the workers at this plant are familiar with the difficulties one has to endure to survive – something all humans are. This, however, begs the question: Do they not deserve respect, respect as any other human does?
Sunita recounts being belittled, ignored and mocked for the nature of her profession. She recounts being judged for an honest days work. She recalls, along with many of those at the plant, multiple instances of not being given respect.
The testimony lies in the very way the rubbish is thrown and given to the sanitation workers. Food waste fixed with plastic, the lack of segregation on behalf of the residents is shocking.
One major problem Sunita and her team face is the segregation of menstrual waste. The sanitation workers are forced to sort through numerous sanitary napkins and other products themselves so as to ensure that they are not mixed in with the wet waste.
“How can I ask them to sort through another woman’s bodily waste?” She told us with a shake of her head. “How hard is it to wrap one’s pad in a newspaper?”
We are inclined to agree.
