Mangalore : Sandhya C D’Souza, a sub-editor cum reporter in the Mangalore Bureau of Deccan Herald has been chosen for the prestigious ‘Sarojini Naidu National Award-2012.’ Her special report on women empowerment titled  Laila ladies ensure ‘safety’, which appeared in Daily Deccan Herald on June 1 2012, has been chosen for the award.

The award given by the Hunger Project, carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakhs and a citation and the award presentation ceremony will be held in New Delhi on October 1.

An  old student of St Aloysius College, Sandhya had joined Deccan Herald in 2010.

Her award winning article explains how a group of ladies in Laila village in Dakshina Kannada was working towards helping rural women maintain menstrual hygiene by manufacturing bio-degradable sanitary napkins from wood pulp and offers the product at low cost to women. The group is headed by Laila GP member Yashoda and the Isiri Self Help Group here has been manufacturing these low cost napkins.