Archive · 18 Dec 2025
Man Turns Jharkhand Village 100% Menstrual-Waste-Free
Tarun Kumar, a social worker from Jharkhand, India, started a mission to improve menstrual hygiene and reduce waste.
He noticed that many girls in his community didn't understand menstruation and didn't have access to sanitary pads.
So, he started distributing free pads and teaching about menstrual health.
He also realized that disposable pads create a lot of plastic waste, so he encouraged the use of reusable pads and even helped plant trees to offset the environmental impact.
Thanks to his efforts, Dhatkidih village became the first 100% menstrual-waste-free village in India.
He hopes to inspire more communities to follow this example.
Tarun Kumar, known as the 'Padman of Jharkhand,' initiated a campaign to promote menstrual hygiene and reduce waste in remote villages.
He founded the Nischay Foundation in 2017 and distributed over 5,000 sanitary pads to girls in East Singhbhum district.
Kumar introduced reusable pad kits under Project Bala, making Dhatkidih village 100% menstrual-waste-free for two consecutive years.
He launched the 'Ek Pad Ek Ped' initiative, planting 30,000 saplings to offset the environmental impact of disposable pads.
Kumar's efforts have broken taboos around menstruation and encouraged community engagement in menstrual health and hygiene.
- Who
- Tarun Kumar, a social worker from Jharkhand, India
- What
- Made Dhatkidih village 100% menstrual-waste-free by promoting reusable pads and menstrual hygiene education
- When
- Started in 2017, with significant impact by 2024
- Where
- Dhatkidih village and other villages in Jharkhand, India
- Why
- To address menstrual hygiene, reduce waste, and break taboos around menstruation
- Name
- Tarun Kumar
- Location
- Jharkhand, India
- Organization
- Nischay Foundation
- Pads Distributed
- 5,000+
- Saplings Planted
- 30,000
- Villages Covered
- 120+
- Menstrual-Waste-Free Village
- Dhatkidih
- Year Started
- 2017
