My interest in public health led me to undertake a service project with the Vidya Roshan Charitable Trust (VRCT), New Delhi, in 2017. VRCT is an organization that advocates for the education, healthcare, and financial independence of adolescent women in rural India. As a classically trained pianist, I was inspired by research conducted by the Auditory Neuroscience Lab at Northwestern University demonstrating the benefits of early music education on the social, emotional, and cognitive development of students in underserved communities. I set up VRCT’s first music education department that provides regular lessons in music theory and performance to low-income girls on the outskirts of New Delhi. While working with the students at VRCT, I observed how the organization was grappling with issues of systemic gender inequity, fueled by oppressive gender norms and misconceptions about reproductive health. I witnessed how period poverty – a lack of education about menstruation and menstrual hygiene products – contributed to high school dropout rates, absenteeism, and morbidity associated with reproductive tract infections in this community.

A lack of menstrual supplies and menstrual hygiene awareness, the pervasive cultural stigma around menstruation, and the high prevalence of cloth rag use, perpetuated a cycle of poor health and educational outcomes for the adolescents that VRCT served. After consulting with physician mentors, public health scientists, and fellow service enthusiasts at Stanford University, I realized that with the support of community partners, resources, and training, I could develop a public health intervention to support menstruating individuals in rural India. The Maanvi project was born from a desire to provide affordable menstrual hygiene products to low-income communities in Northern India. By providing affordable, safe alternatives to cloth rags, educating people about their bodies, and destigmatizing periods, the initiative aims to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with poor menstrual hygiene, boost high school completion rates, and enable menstruating individuals to remain productive and engaged in their communities, regardless of whether they are on their period.