In 2020, Arka received a grant from The Pad Project (2019 Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary Short, Period. End of Sentence) which enabled the importation of a pad machine from Saral Designs, based in Mumbai.
The overwhelming majority of menstruating women and girls in Sri Lanka do not use pads or tampons owing to lack of access and unaffordability. Having to rely on cloth instead ultimately leads to poor Menstrual Health Management (MHM) resulting in UTIs and work/school disruption.
Adithi distinguishes itself from other brands with its community-centric model of operation – the sanitary pad machine has been installed in a small village just south of Colombo, and its operations and manufacturing will be led by the women living in that area.
At The Arka Initiative, we strive every day to fight for menstruators in Sri Lanka to bleed with dignity – to be armed with accurate knowledge, to break down the stigmas and to ensure wide accessibility to hygienic sanitary products
The Arka Initiative, in partnership with local actors such as the National STD/AIDS Control Program, facilitates HIV testing drives, free of charge, to the general public.
The Arka Initiative, in partnership with local actors such as the Family Planning Association, facilitates Pap-Smear testing drives, free of charge, to the general public.
The project aims to provide survivors of domestic violence with free legal representation to address one of the most serious crimes perpetuated against women & to facilitate access to justice
The Arka Initiative conducts information and awareness sessions across the island, in order to equip young people, men and women with the tools they need to navigate practical issues pertaining the sexual and reproductive health.
Providing reusable sanitary napkins to underserved women across several districts in Sri Lanka.
