Neelam Gupta gets wings of self-reliance through her sanitary pad enterprise

Lucknow, Sept 2025 : Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, women in Uttar Pradesh are setting new benchmarks in safety, dignity, and self-reliance through Mission Shakti. Embodying this spirit, 33-year-old Neelam Gupta from Bhadohi is leading a quiet revolution. A graduate, former Gram Pradhan, and active member of the self-help group Pragati, her journey reflects the growing aspirations of rural women who aim for more than mere survival.

In 2020, during discussions on menstrual health and livelihoods with her SHG, Neelam identified a pressing challenge: most women in her village lacked access to affordable sanitary pads and felt uncomfortable purchasing them due to social stigma. Simultaneously, opportunities for dignified employment were scarce. She realized that a single enterprise could address both issues—empowering women while providing a meaningful livelihood.

Neelam explains that for her, entrepreneurship was not just a means of income but also a medium for social impact. With support from the Cluster Level Federation (CLF), Swami Vivekananda Shiksha Samiti (SVSS), and participation in the development alternatives initiative, Neelam started a women-led sanitary napkin enterprise called Vanshika Lifecare.

Neelam started procuring sanitary pads in bulk from a Delhi-based manufacturer and handled branding and packaging locally. This model kept costs low and made operations feasible within the village itself.

However, like any first-generation entrepreneur, Neelam’s journey was not easy. Raw material supply, packaging, building a customer base—every step brought new challenges. But with every peer training, SHG meeting, and exposure visit, Neelam’s confidence grew. In 2024, she had secured a loan of Rs 10–12 lakh from Baroda UP Bank. With the financial networking support of SVSS, she began building her own workforce.

Neelam shares that today she has seven full-time employees working with her. In addition, during peak demand cycles, more than ten part-time workers also earn employment from the unit. Her team not only manages packaging and distribution but also runs awareness campaigns on menstrual health. Four women from her team go door-to-door to sell the products, two male workers supply shops, and a dedicated trainer conducts health sessions in nearby villages and CLFs.

Vanshika Lifecare is now earning a profit of Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 per month and is spreading a wave of positive change throughout the community. Neelam is not just running a business; she is challenging a social order. Her work is breaking taboos around menstruation, creating dignified employment opportunities for rural women, and proving what a ‘non-traditional’ enterprise can look like.

She has established herself as a ‘high-growth grassroots entrepreneur’ through development alternatives, a woman running a scalable and socially relevant model that bridges community needs with structural change. She has already repaid her first loan on time, improving her CIBIL score, and is now actively mentoring other women from her SHG and village organization.

Neelam’s next goal is innovation. She is preparing to launch a new line of reusable cotton pads for women who cannot afford disposable options. At the same time, she is exploring possibilities of partnering with government schools to distribute hygiene kits.

Today, Neelam has become an inspiration for all women in the state who are transforming underprivileged women from mere beneficiaries into solution creators. With access to finance, skills, digital visibility, and market linkages when the right ecosystem support is available, rural women like Neelam prove that innovation does not only emerge from metros and incubation centres. Sometimes, it comes from a woman with determination, a strong SHG network, and the courage to lead change.