Students’ venture to make hygiene affordable for all

Maintaining hygiene and cleanliness should not be the prerogative of the rich and the well-heeled. With that idea in mind, students of Mount Carmel College have started a unique business initiative — Myriad Company Limited — to manufacture and sell affordable sanitary napkins for underprivileged girl students of the city.

Under this low-cost business venture, the students manufacture and sell sanitary napkins under the brand name Care+Plus. A packet of eight pads is priced at Rs20.

The students’ venture is part of a community development project and has been guided by the college’s entrepreneurship cell. The entrepreneurship cell has tied up with a few NGOs, including Youth for Seva, to help take the product to various government schools in the city.

“The idea of manufacturing and selling sanitary napkins is part of the college’s community development project. Firstly, through affordable napkins, students are promoting hygiene and cleanliness among underprivileged girl students,” said S Shanti, coordinator of entrepreneurship cell.

“Moreover, we have engaged needy girls of the college in the manufacturing process. This way they can earn some money and fund their studies,” added Shanti. The entrepreneurship cell has also given permanent jobs to two former students of the college in the business venture.

Shanti said the students’ product is fast gaining popularity and the entrepreneurship cell has recently received orders from the Lioness Club of Bangalore and a few NGOs based in Rajasthan.

“We have got an order of around 250 packets of sanitary napkins from the Lioness Club of Bangalore. Several NGOs of Rajasthan have also approached us, and we will soon send them the consignment. Moreover, we are regularly manufacturing napkins to be distributed in government schools,” added Shanti.

On a daily basis, students manufacture around 40-50 packets of napkins after college hours.  The venture Myriad is almost two-and-a-half years old. The company is also into production of candles, paper bags, and chalk pieces.

The college’s economic department, in coordination with the entrepreneurship cell, is also conducting credit course for students, wherein the students are encouraged to become economically independent by starting their own business ventures.

“The credit course is a 60-hour long classroom teaching and hands-on experience programme for students to help them start their own business ventures. As a part of the course, we teach students how to plan and execute their business ventures. We also give them hands on experience,” said Shalini Pujari, head of department of economics in Mount Carmel College.

Recently, the students of credit course hosted an exhibition-cum-sale of their products in the college. They showcased artificial jewellry, home-made chocolates, biscuits, greeting cards, pen-stands, paper bags, etc. “It’s a great learning experience,” said Varkha Mohimnai, a second-year BSc student.