GEETA SOLANKI

Geeta Salonki previously worked as a childbirth educator. She became aware of a graver and broader issue of menstruation cleanliness after meeting several women from varied social and economic backgrounds. This led to the establishment of her organization, UnipadsReusable Sanitary Pads, supported by her former colleagues and friends. Their vision is to provide a sustainable solution for menstrual hygiene to underprivileged women. Geeta continues to provide the right products for women and creates awareness related to menstrual hygiene. She runs this organization with several women employees, to empower women and provide them with opportunities.

What is your favourite word?
Positivity. Optimism is something that naturally comes to me and people around me also believe in that. When I tell them that things will be done, they believe me and put their trust in me. I am a positive person who looks on the brighter side regardless of any situation.

What was the moment in your life that made you Blossom into the person you are today?
There was no time as such. Feminism was something I was keen about at an early age. I was brought up in an orthodox family in Gujarat. Since my father was not a staunch orthodox, he let me study in a convent school and continued my education in a boarding school. My mom educated me on how a girl should behave. That led me to question certain ways of life girls are taught in our society. I always wanted to prove myself and I strongly believed that I shouldn’t stop myself from anything just because I am a woman. The desire to prove myself to the family and the community is something that surely made me the person I am today.

What would you want the young boys & girls to learn from your journey?
If you want to do something and if you are passionate about it, just go for it. If you start calculating the pros and cons, even before you start you will have 100’s of reasons to give up. But if you find even a single reason to do it, just go for it. Trust in yourself and stay positive. Try to develop an optimistic approach to any situation you face. Learn the lesson out of the adversity and be grateful for every decision you take.