Building stronger communities through compassion, care and meaningful action.
The Padman Project was envisioned with a simple yet transformative goal: to ensure that dignity, health, and opportunity are never compromised by lack of access to menstrual hygiene. In many rural communities around North Bengaluru, women and girls struggle with affordability and awareness, often forced to rely on unsafe alternatives. This not only impacts their health but also their education, confidence, and participation in everyday life.
Inspired by the life and work of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the grassroots social entrepreneur who pioneered low-cost sanitary pad-making machines, Reach Out Trust sought to bring his vision to underserved communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we raised funds to install these machines at the Women’s Prison in Bengaluru, where inmates were trained to produce eco-friendly sanitary pads. These were distributed to migrant women in the city who faced severe shortages at the time. Over time, the initiative also became an income-generating opportunity for the inmates, helping them build skills, earn a livelihood, and contribute meaningfully to society.
Beyond hygiene, the Padman Project is about empowerment and resilience. By teaching women to manufacture and distribute pads, we create livelihoods, foster self-reliance, and break taboos around menstruation. ✨ With every pad produced and every conversation sparked, we move closer to a future where no girl misses school, no woman feels ashamed, and every community thrives with confidence and care.
The 100 Books Program was created with a clear vision: to enable children studying in vernacular-medium schools to gain confidence and proficiency in English through access to engaging, age-appropriate books. By opening the world of stories, ideas, and imagination, the program prepares them for greater opportunities in education and beyond.
Each participating school receives a curated library of 100 English books, carefully chosen to encourage reading, vocabulary development, comprehension, and communication skills. The collection spans multiple reading levels — from beginner to advanced — and includes storybooks, picture books, biographies, science, nature, and general knowledge. Teachers are oriented on effective read-aloud and guided reading practices, while children participate in weekly reading sessions, storytelling activities, book clubs, and vocabulary games.
This program addresses a critical gap: children in rural and vernacular schools often have limited exposure to English outside the classroom, making higher education, competitive exams, and employment more challenging. By making English accessible in a fun, non-intimidating way, the program helps children develop a love for reading, improve vocabulary and comprehension, gain confidence in speaking and writing, and enhance imagination and critical thinking.
🌟 Expected Outcomes include stronger reading habits, improved academic performance, and greater readiness for higher education and employment. Beyond language, the program nurtures curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning.
✨ “One hundred books can open thousands of doors.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Reach Out Trust extended support to migrant workers, daily-wage families and vulnerable communities by distributing food kits, essential supplies and relief materials.
Reach Out Trust organizes plantation drives to create greener spaces, restore biodiversity and build a healthier, more sustainable environment for future generations.
Reach Out Trust conducts village welfare programs to address community needs, improve living conditions and create meaningful opportunities for a better quality of life.