Two Purnia Schoolgirls Develop Low Cost AI and IoT Smart Menstrual Health Model Worth ₹1500, Enter National Top 30 Divya Kumari and Sonam Kumari from Purnia have created an AI and IoT based menstrual health monitoring kit on a modest budget of ₹1500, securing a place among the top 30 projects nationally. Addressing long-standing challenges surrounding menstrual hygiene, two school students from Bihar's Purnia district have developed an inventive technical prototype. Divya Kumari and Sonam Kumari, students of Aarakshi Middle School, proved that meaningful community interventions do not require massive budgets. Using contemporary technical concepts, the young innovators built an advanced smart kit on an economical budget of just ₹1500. Their invention is designed to simplify menstrual health monitoring, support women during periods, and alleviate environmental hazards caused by discarded menstrual products. The prototype recently received widespread recognition after securing a position among the top 30 models at a national-level competition. Learning Applied Science and Innovation After School Hours After finishing their daily classes at school, both girls regularly attend Bihar Bal Bhavan Kilkari. The centre provides complimentary practical learning in crafts, science concepts, and independent project design. While interacting with fellow learners and observing daily life around them, the girls noticed the discomfort, lack of facilities, and persistent social taboos experienced by young women during menstruation. Determined to engineer a practical solution, they set out to build an accessible kit. Under the steady mentorship of project teacher Mohammad Saddam, the pair dedicated three months of rigorous hands-on effort to plan, assemble, and test their prototype. Smart Monitoring Powered by AI and IoT The innovation, formally titled the AI and IoT Based Smart Menstrual Health and Hygiene Monitoring Kit, serves as an integrated ecosystem for tracking menstrual well-being and maintaining clean surroundings. A defining feature of their blueprint is a dedicated resting chamber called the Saheli Kaksh. Designed for deployment in schools and workplaces, this safe space enables female students and working women to rest comfortably and manage period symptoms without discomfort or shame. Embedded sensors and connected modules monitor hygiene standards and support health management, offering an affordable technological cushion for young girls. Solving Waste Disposal Through Controlled Composting Beyond personal well-being, the project addresses the severe environmental footprint of conventional menstrual waste. Sanitary pads are frequently discarded in regular municipal bins or open drains due to absent disposal infrastructure, leading to acute sanitary risks and enduring soil pollution. Divya and Sonam tackled this dilemma by integrating a systematic disposal mechanism directly into their model. The system outlines an eco-friendly composting pipeline that treats discarded pads safely, mitigating contamination risks and providing an environmentally viable path to process menstrual refuse responsibly. Normalising Menstruation as a Natural Biological Process Both Divya and Sonam emphasise that social reticence around periods continues to compromise feminine health. Through their work, the young innovators seek to break persistent stigmas and foster open dialogue. They maintain that menstruation should never be viewed as an ailment, an embarrassment, or a personal limitation, but rather embraced as a healthy and regular bodily function. Their project advocates for accessible hygiene facilities, clean environments, and adequate personal care so that girls can pursue their routines without unnecessary anxiety. Statewide Win in Begusarai and National Level Distinction Roshan Rana, manager at Bihar Bal Bhavan Kilkari, highlighted that the prototype first showcased its potential at a regional science exhibition organized in Begusarai. The project outperformed competitors to claim first prize at the event, earning a direct nomination for the national showcase. At the national level, the invention earned a spot among the top 30 innovations in the country. The fact that an indigenous model crafted within a budget of only ₹1500 achieved national acclaim has generated tremendous pride across the institution and the wider community in Purnia. What this means for you This low cost innovation demonstrates a practical path to managing menstrual hygiene and sanitary waste affordably in resource-limited settings. • Across India: Frugal innovations of this type can be scaled across government schools and civic centres to tackle menstrual waste and lack of hygiene infrastructure. Implementing such kits can curb school absenteeism among adolescent girls and prevent common reproductive tract infections. • In Purnia and Bihar: The recognition demonstrates the effectiveness of community innovation centres like Kilkari in nurturing grassroots scientific aptitude among government school students. It establishes a practical blueprint for rural campuses seeking to establish dedicated hygiene rooms and resting corners. • Environmental Conservation: Replacing unsegregated dumping with controlled composting stops harmful non-biodegradable sanitary components from choking municipal drainage networks. This lowers biological hazard risks for municipal sanitation workers handling public garbage. • Breaking Social Taboos: When young schoolgirls fearlessly showcase menstrual health technology on state and national stages, it dismantles pervasive social stigma. Such initiatives encourage open conversations on reproductive wellness within families and academic environments. Why this happened The innovation emerged directly from the daily challenges young girls encounter in schools due to inadequate menstrual hygiene facilities and improper waste disposal systems. • Firsthand Awareness of the Problem: Divya Kumari and Sonam Kumari observed peers at their middle school dealing with pain, lack of privacy, and deep embarrassment during their menstrual cycles. This direct exposure spurred their resolve to build a functional and affordable support system. • Unaddressed Waste Footprint: The rampant practice of tossing discarded pads into open dumps or drains creates ecological hazards and spreads pathogens. Recognizing this void, the students prioritized clean disposal and controlled degradation inside their framework. • Mentorship and Practical Training: Access to free project based training at Bihar Bal Bhavan Kilkari, coupled with steady guidance from instructor Mohammad Saddam, provided the young students with the technical guidance necessary to translate their ideas into a physical prototype over three months. Questions & Answers 1. What is the official name of the project created by the Purnia students? The project is named the AI and IoT Based Smart Menstrual Health and Hygiene Monitoring Kit. 2. What was the total expenditure and development time for this prototype? The prototype was built on a minimal budget of ₹1500 across three months of continuous development. 3. Which school do the student innovators Divya and Sonam attend? Divya Kumari and Sonam Kumari are enrolled as students at Aarakshi Middle School in Purnia. 4. What recognition did the project receive at the national stage? After winning first prize at the Begusarai science fair, the model ranked among the top 30 projects nationally. 5. How does the model tackle sanitary pad disposal? The project incorporates a mechanism for the safe disposal and biological composting of used sanitary pads. 6. Who provided technical guidance and support to the students? The students received training and guidance from teacher Mohammad Saddam and manager Roshan Rana at Bihar Bal Bhavan Kilkari. Inspiration & Lessons The remarkable journey of these two students from Purnia demonstrates that empathy and determination can overcome resource constraints to solve pressing community problems. • Tackling Taboos Directly: Instead of avoiding a topic cloaked in cultural hesitation, the young girls chose menstrual health as their primary subject for scientific problem solving. • High Impact on a Modest Budget: Developing a functional kit utilizing modern concepts on an expenditure of only ₹1500 underscores that impactful engineering relies on ingenuity rather than lavish funding. • Consistency and Discipline: Committing three consecutive months to after-school laboratory work highlights the transformative value of persistence in turning ideas into tangible reality. • Dual Focus on Health and Ecology: By combining personal comfort with ecological waste processing, the students demonstrated that grassroots technology should serve both human dignity and environmental health. https://trendkia.com/en/success-stories/purnia-ki-do-skuli-chhatraon-ne-banaya-1500-rupaye-men-masika-dharma-svasthya-nigarani-modala-rashtriya-mncha-para-banai-jagaha-57872 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.