Imported and expensive, accessing sanitary pad remains a challenge for many women and girls in developing countries. Bhutan is no exception. This very reason is what motivated Pema Chezom to manufacture Chechay sanitary pads, which was launched in the capital on Saturday.
The locally manufactured sanitary pad costs a maximum of Nu 60.
Sanitary pad is an important necessity for every woman. But every basic necessity is imported in the country, including the pads. However, the dependency on imported sanitary pads might decrease with local pads available. The woman behind the idea, Pema Chezom, has been working on it since 2014.
“In 2014, when I was in college, I found that sanitary pad and diapers were expensive in developing countries due to import charges. And because of that, most of rural girls and women have no access to such necessity. And my interest further developed in 2017 when my younger sister gave birth in the hospital. It was in the middle of the night. All nearby shops were closed. And we forgot to take sanitary pads. And at that time my sister was bleeding heavily. And that is where I realised the importance of that small tiny piece which really matters for a woman like us,” shares Pema Chezom, the Founder of Chechay Sanitary Pads.
Packaged in an adorable pink and blue colour, the pad comes in two types, premium ultra-thin pads for heavy flow and normal flow pads. She added that amidst the discussion on imported Goods subject to sales tax, the launch of her pads is timely.
Samten Dolkar
