Ever since we’re born, we’re nurtured to dream. We are made to believe that we are intrinsically destined to fulfil our purpose, whatever that may be. For most people, their dreams are self-serving; but every once in a while someone arrives whose ambitions align with someone else’s, whose dreams are to help other people dream, whose duties lie in unshackling the downtrodden.
Suhani Jalota, now Founder & CEO of Myna Mahila Foundation, arrived in this world with such hope. Maybe it was destiny that brought her to witness the slums in Mumbai as a teenager, or the fervent prayers of the suffering women who needed someone to uplift them, regardless, Suhani has proved that a little bit of kindness and compassion goes a long way.
Deeply distressed by seeing the troubles the women in the slums struggle with on a daily basis, Suhani became determined to take them under her wing. A dearth of hygienic provisions and topics like sexual harassment and menstrual care brushed under the carpet, women empowerment was seemingly elusive. Nevertheless, she strived to tackle these pervasive issues and founded the Myna Mahila Foundation in 2015.
The organization spares no effort to provide the best, ranging from job opportunities to free sanitary napkins. The enterprise has now employed several underprivileged women, giving them proper salaries, training in English, health, self-defence and the confidence to fight and fend for themselves. Their campaigns “PledgeAPeriod” and “Sponsor A Girl” have helped several women and girls better deal with the nitty-gritties of menstrual care.
With gradual development, the organization was recognized by several notable personalities and was also chosen to be one of the seven charities that benefited from the donations that marked the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Suhani has also been awarded Queen’s Young Leader Award and Glamour Magazine’s College Woman of the Year. With the advent of Covid-19, the difficulties of these women are exacerbated now more than ever.
“As far as Myna Mahila, we want to grow as an organization that’s providing more employment to more women in these slums and is improving health more broadly for women—wherever that takes us”, says Suhani.
This can only be achieved with collective help from our communities. The Myna Mahila team is proud to announce that Suhani Jalota is the only Indian that has been nominated for the Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership 2020. Upon winning the prize, the organization will receive $250,000 which will help expedite their mission of ending period poverty and supporting two million girls and women across India by 2025.
The final round of the award rests heavily on public voting that will be active from November 17– November 24. Each vote will go a long way in positioning Myna Mahila Foundation as a leading NGO across the world for providing menstrual health care and shifting health behaviours for women.
To place your votes for Suhani Jalota and support her work, click here.
Join them on this mission to end period poverty and empower women in India, with just a simple vote!