#abhisheksingha

[ipledgefor-blog]

"It's not about how many lives we change, but about how much we change in their regular lives. I remember how a girl student came to me to tell how she had pushed all the women in her family to start using sanitary napkins after the session. This is what motivates me to continue." -Abhishek.

Born in a Golaghat, Assam, Abhishek grew up observing the reality of class, caste or gender-based discrimination. It was these observations that pushed him to choose a life in social work. A Political Science college student then, Abhishek would somehow collect funds to buy school supplies for students coming from low-income houses.

Eventually, after graduation, he was able to set up a non-profit youth organization, All & Sundry in 2012. Under the organization, Abhishek mobilized Assam's youth towards various social projects that have had a grassroots impact. One such initiative, The White Revolution: A Sanitary Pad Bank for the Needy Ones, launched in 2017, is very close to his heart.

"In my district, women still don't use sanitary napkins or have any awareness about menstrual hygiene. Shockingly, when I would ask them about sanitary napkins, many would not even know about it, while others would laugh stating that the packaging looks like biscuit packets. The zero awareness is what pushed me to launch the white revolution," he says.

Majorly focused on helping school girls, especially in the remote tea garden areas and border conflict zones; the initiative is the first sanitary pad bank in Assam. We have a holistic approach to this. It begins with starting a conversation, breaking inhibitions to hygiene and the kind of food they should eat during periods.

For instance, studies claim that chocolate is helpful during periods, but these girls come from families that might not be able to afford it. So, instead, we suggest eating bananas or laddus made of til (sesame seeds), Abhishek informs. We have been able to change the lives of 750 girls by now and are proud of that because through repeated follow-ups we have seen how they have transformed their lifestyle and are encouraging others to follow it!

Owing to his efforts, Abhishek has received several accolades; appreciation letters from the Prime Minister's Office in 2015, Prime Minister's House in 2016, Embassy of India in Bangkok in 2014, American Center to India in 2012 and Hon'ble Governors of Assam in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Got an inspiring story? Email Now! - ipledgefor.a.cause@gmail.com

Coming soon - http://ipledgefor.org