An initiative has been taken in Cumilla to engage young women in income-generating activities through the sale of sanitary napkins. As part of the initiative, young women received training on business management, market identification and sales strategies to help them become entrepreneurs as stated in the Press Release.
The training programme was organised by ‘Water and Sanitation for the Urban Population’ (WSUP) Bangladesh with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation. The programme aims to engage young women in economic activities in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector and improve the availability of sanitary napkins at the local level.
Participants were trained on identifying business opportunities and potential customers, setting product prices, calculating profits and losses, developing marketing and sales strategies, and preparing business plans. An important part of the training was identifying potential markets and customers for sanitary napkins in their respective areas. After the training, participants were given an opportunity to prepare their own business action plans. Organisers said this would enable them to apply the knowledge gained during the training and start selling sanitary napkins in their respective communities.
Naziah Hossain, executive magistrate of Cumilla City Corporation, attended the programme as the chief guest. She said, “Along with skills development, it is important to create practical and sustainable income-generating opportunities for women to help them become economically self-reliant. Linking entrepreneurship development with sanitary napkin sales can contribute to both women’s empowerment and menstrual health management. We welcome this initiative by WSUP, and Cumilla City Corporation is willing to support such public welfare initiatives.”
Mohammad Yousuf, water superintendent of Cumilla City Corporation, was also present at the programme. He said, “WASH services are not limited to ensuring safe water and sanitation; menstrual health management is also an important part of it. Engaging young women to make sanitary napkins more accessible at the local level is an effective initiative. Such activities can create both access to essential services and economic opportunities.”
The trainers included Mst Parvin Akter, upazila women affairs officer of Cumilla Sadar South; Md Saifuddin Ahmed, assistant director of the Department of Youth Development; and Shelina Naznin Shely, owner of Aparajita Trade Centre and a woman entrepreneur. Officials from relevant government departments provided participants with practical guidance on different aspects of starting and running a business. Shelina Naznin Shely also shared her experience in producing and marketing sanitary napkins.
Mst Parvin Akter said, “Training alone is not enough to help women become entrepreneurs. It is also important to build their confidence and provide them with the necessary guidance and support to start a business. By focusing on an essential product such as sanitary napkins, women can start small and gradually expand their businesses.”
Md Saifuddin Ahmed said, “Creating opportunities for young people to develop skills and engage in economic activities is an important part of youth development. Through this training, young women are learning the basics of business while getting an opportunity to understand market and customer needs and start their own ventures. We hope the interested participants will use the training to build successful businesses.”
Shelina Naznin Shely, owner of Aparajita Trade Centre and a woman entrepreneur, said, “From my experience as an entrepreneur, I believe confidence and proper planning are the first requirements for starting a business. There is an opportunity to work in the market for essential products such as sanitary napkins. If young women understand local demand and properly market quality products, it can become a good source of income for them.”
Organisers said the sale of sanitary napkins was being viewed not only as a business activity but also as a social initiative linked to menstrual health management. Engaging women in the sector at the local level could create income opportunities for them while making essential menstrual health products more accessible to communities and people.
WSUP Bangladesh said it plans to expand similar initiatives to economically engage young people in the WASH sector. With support from government institutions and local authorities, the organisation will focus on creating women entrepreneurs at the local level while also raising awareness about menstrual health and hygiene.
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