Meet Danya Risam-Chandi | Founder of The Girls’ Wellness Initiative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danya Risam-Chandi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danya, what do you attribute your success to?
The Girls’ Wellness Initiative truly began to grow and expand once we reached out to the DFW community. I started the project on my own, but the amount of people who wanted to support and expand the project, really allowed us to become something so inspiring and impactful. I started the project during COVID-19 to fundraise money for women in underserved communities in Mumbai. The Indian government had started an initiative before COVID to provide free menstrual hygiene products to girls in public school, but due to school closures that project was indefinitely suspended. So, I began raising money from my friends and family and sent it to a family friend in India who worked with a local manufacturer to buy the pads at lower prices and distribute them to women and girls. They also distributed food packets for a separate fund. In the spring of 2023 I decided to expand the project to include ‘Health and Hygiene’ Seminars for underserved women in Texas who never received a comprehensive health education. The seminars include comprehensive sex-ed, mental health resources, and Q&A with local doctors and OBGYNs. I reached out to my friends and acquaintances through Instagram and received an overwhelming amount of interest. Now, we have 7 chapters at different high schools in the DFW metroplex and members in Dallas and Austin. From the beginning, this project could not have succeeded without support from our local community.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As I’ve already touched on how I started TGWI, I’ll discuss some challenges we have faced. As an organization, both our members and our donors are mostly women. We struggle to gain traction with men, which is vital for our project to continue. While we can continue to grow with the support of women in the US and abroad, in order for larger legislative change to happen, men have to get involved. Most of the time we notice men are uncomfortable discussing sex ed or menstrual health because of the large taboo surrounding the topic. However, TGWi is trying to normalize women’s health issues so that they can be brought to the forefront of education on the effects of poverty. In order to do so, we have started an advocacy leadership team within our organization which is working to raise awareness surrounding women’s health on social media. In the future we hope to host free webinars to discuss and educate anyone who would like to get involved. We hope these webinars create a stress free environment where anyone can come to learn and get involved. Taboo is also an issue that affects the women we provide menstrual products to in India. Many women in India do not feel comfortable discussing their need for sanitary products and this stops them from accessing proper resources. So far, we have tackled this issue by going straight to the neighborhoods of underserved women in Mumbai and handing out the products, so that the women do not have to venture far out of their homes to receive sanitary products. I hope that when people learn about this organization, it inspires them to go out in the world and create some sort of positive change, for whatever issue strikes a chord with them. There are so many issues in the world, but there are also so many opportunities to create change.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Great Question!

Day 1:

Breakfast: Waffles at First Watch (all of their locations are great!)
Activity: visiting the DMA and Klyde Warren park
Lunch: One of the food trucks at Klyde Warren
Dinner: Skyblossom Asian Fusion Rooftop

Day 2:

Brunch at Sip + Savor (love all the locations!)
Activity: Spa Day at the Woodhouse Day Spa
Dinner: Bistecca Steakhouse (they have the nicest chef ever and amazing food)

Day 3:
AM Activity: Book browsing at The Wild Detectives in Bishop Arts
PM Activity: Candlelight Orchestra by Fever
Dinner at RH rooftop (great atmosphere!)

Day 4:
Morning: Walk in Vitruvian Park
Activity: Walk around Bishop Arts
Dinner at Paradiso

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents have both been incredibly supportive throughout this entire process. My mom has friends in India from her childhood who helped me make sure that all of our work was worth it. They even sent me photos and videos of the women who received our sanitary packages. At home, my parents always are around to help me whether it be by getting me in touch with others in the medical community or leaving dinner out for me when a management call runs too late. They are always there for me when I ask for their help, but never try to impose on the project. They understand and respect that this is my organization and do their best to support me in any way possible. Even from when I was young, my parents always gave me the agency to choose my own path and that truly has helped me become the person I am today.

Website: thegirlswellnessinitiative.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlswellnessinitiative/?next=%2F