During our stay in Sri Lanka, we also visited the trainers and Mr. Cyrilraj from the “Napkin Project” – an initiative that was launched in 2022. Our lawyer Cyril provided us with detailed information about the development and successes of the project. The trainers enthusiastically reported on their work and the visible progress they have made.
The facts speak for themselves: in its first year in 2022, 9,787 women benefited from the project, and by 2024, the number had risen to 12,028 – including 8,643 girls and 3,385 women. Between March 2022 and March 2025, an impressive 38,019 participants were reached.
Having now largely covered the Badulla district, Cyril is planning to expand the project to the Monaragala district, where 15 Tamil schools have already expressed interest.
Particularly impressive was the visit by two women’s groups that organized themselves independently as part of the project. The first group has 41 members, the second 31. They have built up a network to organize lectures, education, mutual support, and practical everyday help. They all emphasized how valuable the project is for them—not only from a financial point of view, thanks to the reusability of the hygiene products, but also in terms of environmental protection.
The Napkin Project is one of Lankahelp’s most costly but also one of its most effective projects, with a lasting impact on health, self-determination for girls and women, and environmental protection.