Telangana orphanages face shortage of sanitary pads during lockdown: NGOs

The Woman and Child Welfare Department has procured 2 lakh units of sanitary napkins but over a month after lockdown started.
The WCWD has so far delivered 1,28,000 of the 2,03,440 pads given by corporates registered with Telangana state social impact groups (TSIG)
The WCWD has so far delivered 1,28,000 of the 2,03,440 pads given by corporates registered with Telangana state social impact groups (TSIG)

When it comes to providing essential goods to orphanages in Telangana, the Women and Child Welfare Department (WCWD) forgot to take into account that adolescent girls of menstruating age require sanitary napkins during the lockdown. Several non-profits that depended on donors for procuring sanitary napkins saw donations drying up since the lockdown began, and several requests to the department to include sanitary napkins as an essential commodity went unheard.

It was on Saturday, over a month after the lockdown began on March 25, that the WCWD made arrangements to supply 2 lakh units of sanitary napkins. These napkins, however, according to department officials, are headed mostly to orphanages in districts, leaving not-for-profit organisations in Hyderabad left to fend for themselves. 

There are a total of 444 registered childcare institutions (CCI) in Telangana, about 150 of which are within the Greater Hyderabad limits. Only 38 in the state are government-run. The private CCIs depend on donations to take care of the children.

“We gave the WCWD a list of what all we need on March 26 itself and sanitary napkins were part of the list. But the department only provides food. Sanitary napkins were not provided,” says Anil K Kumar, who runs Crisis Rescue Foundation in Secunderabad. 

The foundation works towards the welfare of underprivileged and orphaned children. There are 23 girls at this orphanage, about 15 are adolescent girls of menstruating age. “We even sent them reminders,” he adds. 

Laalana Foundation’s founder A Madhavi says out of the 24 girl children at the institution, 14 are of menstruating age. “We are somehow managing, a few donors provided us money. There has been no help from the state,” she says. 

D Raghavendra of Vatsalyam, a voluntary organisation, says the state is not obligated to help private CCIs. “The state’s role is only to get us registered and inspect us. But we need help now, especially during a crisis. And when we ask them for help, we are told they don’t even have funds for the government-run orphanages and have nothing to help us with. Since the lockdown began, donations have stopped,” he says.

There are only four girls presently at Vatsalyam. However, the organisation is struggling to pay its bills. “Many NGOs are struggling to pay even rent, staff salary and electricity bills. Since there is a government order that rent can be deferred for three months, we are using that (rent) money for buying essentials. But what happens when that term ends? We will have to pay a bulk amount. How will we pay then?” Raghavendra asks.

The WCWD has so far delivered 1,28,000 of the 2,03,440 pads given by corporates registered with Telangana state social impact groups (TSIG) under the Industries department. The TSIG channels Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to state government departments in need, for community development and environment.

WCWD Director D Divya informed TNM that in the first and second phases, the department sent sanitary napkins to Swadhar homes (destitute women), Ujwala homes (trafficked women), homes for girls and to select districts that are far and remote. In the next two days, the department will identify other child care institutions in need and send the rest, she added.

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