Reaping success through a unique micro enterprise: Success story of Feona Sanitary Napkin

Smt. Lisy Martin hailing from Ettumanoor of Kottayam district of Kerala have a unique success story to share. She took the courage to step into an industry in which corporates were ruling the market and reaped success. The Comfort hygiene and sanitary napkin unit is making revolution in the sanitary napkin industry through 'Feona'. The sanitary napkin launched by Lisy and her team is of high demand among the customers. The unit is making average sales of Rs 3 lakhs a month.

Evolution of Feona Sanitary Napkins

Lisy was a nursing graduate who used to work in various hospitals until her marriage with Shri. Martin, hailing from Ettumanoor of Kottayam. After her marriage with Martin, she became a full time home maker. During 2002, she became the member of Nethaji neighborhood group NHG) in her locality. After joining the NHG, she thought of launching a micro enterprise of her own. She had already got training in sanitary napkin production while pursuing her nursing profession. On getting training from Kudumbashree on sanitary napkin production again, she decided to make her idea turn into a reality.

Later, she launched a unit in 2004 by joining other members. But the starting phase was not so easy. The non- availability of the raw materials and machineries made the other members feel that Lisy’s idea is not going to work out and they backed out from the unit. At the end, only Lisy was left. But she wasn’t ready to drop her dream. She had sheer confidence in herself. And later in 2014, with the help of Kudumbashree Kottayam District Mission, she gave new life to Comfort Hygiene and Sanitary Napkin unit. Kudumbashree gave Rs 5 lakhs as financial assistance to her. Smt. Manju Pradeep, Smt. Mini Anil, Smt. Jayashree and Smt. Sheena Binesh joined with lLisy and then Lisy’s confidence was doubled. They later started making high quality sanitary napkins and market the same in the brand name ‘Feona Sanitary Napkins’.  She also started giving training to other women who were interested in sanitary napkin production. As a result of that, 8 other units were formed under their unit and Comfort Hygiene and Sanitary Napkin Unit became the mother unit of all other units.

Reaping Success

Later, they got the Government Order to supply these sanitary napkins to schools and colleges without any tender formalities. They also joined hands with Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited and signed contract with them. The Sanitary Napkins supplied in Government hospitals, pre-metric hostels and those supplied through Asha workers are sanitary napkins produced by Kudumbashree Micro Enterprise units including Comfort Hygiene Sanitary Napkin Unit.

Smt. Lisy Martin has proved that any women can succeed in achieving her dream if she has sheer confidence in herself and the nature would conspire for the same for making it true. Her story can be considered an archetype of self-confidence and hard work. By launching a unique micro enterprise like sanitary napkin production unit and market the products in the right way, Lisy had proved that even small ideas can bring in great changes.