MEET THE TEAM
determination for change
Co-Founders
Krish Gada
Hi, my name is Krish Gada, and I’m the co-founder of LAADLI.
This started out as an idea for a CAS project, however, we realized that this is a sensitive issue that needs to be spoken about to debunk myths and remove the social stigma related to it.
In India, where periods are often looked upon as a bad thing, this was an opportunity for us to give back to the society by educating women of all ages regarding this issue at large. With very minimal information, many women suffer from diseases that are often fatal, and this is our way of helping out in the smallest way that we can.
Our aim to start this organization was to reach out to as many women as possible and educate them about menstrual hygiene and the use of safe menstrual products. Through this, we hope to make an impact that stays for a lifetime and helps reducing the risks that come with the menstrual cycle.
Yesha Shah
Hi, I am Yesha Shah and I am the co-founder of LAADLI.
Being a young girl, I was privileged enough to have the menstrual education, that every woman needs. I have access to sanitary means, and I cannot imagine how difficult life would be for a girl without it, since it is a recurring process.
Hence came Laadli; due to this covid pandemic, everyone’s attention has been centred on this one virus, causing other global issues to be undermined. Thus, we decided to do something different, a good different. In this pandemic, now more than ever, do unprivileged women need awareness about menstrual hygiene as well as access to sanitary pads, since the lockdown is worsening their monetary situation, forcing them to avoid “unnecessary” spending. However a sanitary pad is their basic necessity, although some households may fail to agree. Due to this, Krish and I decided that, this issue should not be ignored, and some action must be taken.
LAADLI aspires to bring change, and every little effort counts.
Although we have just started, we see this going a long way, aiming to aid many more women!
Rest of the team
Yuval Jhaveri
Hi I am Yuval Jhaveri and I am the Head of Research for LAADLI.
When i got the opportunity to be a part of this organisation i was ecstatic because i truly felt that I was being a part of something that could really bring some change. The reason I wanted to be a part of laadli is because I felt that the organisation targeted a pressing issue in our society which needs urgent attention and to have the chance to help make a real difference is something that does not come everyday.
I believe that every small step makes a difference so despite laadli being a small organisation at the moment if I can help even 1 person it would be a success in these challenging times.
Mira Dasgupta
I'm Mira, a girl who got her first period on a holiday in Shimla at 11.
Earlier on, I used to treat menstruation as a sin; whispering to my friends about it, hiding my pad when I went to the washroom in school, I was basically supporting the stigmatisation of periods. I can blame this on my innocence at the time, but I also want to blame society for making me treat periods in such a taboo manner in the first place.
Today, at 16, I've grown to realise that the society I live in is still, in a twisted way, far more "open" and liberal than the rest of the country when it comes to menstruation. As a result, women across the country are victims of various diseases born from the lack of awareness about menstrual hygiene.
When I was presented with the opportunity to be part of an initiative that wishes to change this situation for our "laadlis", it didn't take me long to be on board. Every woman needs to receive education on menstruation, every woman needs to have access to pads, because every woman deserves to live, and we, at Laadli, are going to be part of this change.
Rivan Juthani
Hi I am Rivan Juthani and i am the Head of the Technical team at LAADLI.
When I first heard about laadli, I knew instantly that I wanted to help out in whatever way I could. Realising how sensitive and significant this issue was, I believed that helping Laadli achieve their goal would make a difference in society. This difference, albeit small, would start the change that’s required and also bring attention to the issue, thereby spreading awareness.
In the era of COVID-19, hygiene has only proven to become more important and I truly feel Laadli could shed some light to this situation of the lack of awareness regarding menstrual hygiene and bring a change in society.