Aaj ki Aurat by Amal

10/05/2020

Happy Mother's Day

19/04/2020

MAKE YOUR OWN HAND SANITIZER:

Though washing your hands with plain old soap and water is the best way to keep them clean and prevent the spread of coronavirus, you don’t always have access to a sink. The next best thing is using hand sanitizer, but you need to be sure your ratios are correct when making it yourself, otherwise it isn’t effective.

Ajith Karunarathne, a cellular chemist and assistant professor in the University of Toledo’s department of chemistry and biochemistry, shared his recipe for hand sanitizer.

Start with isopropyl alcohol, usually it comes in either 90% or 95% concentration but anything 90% and above will work.

Mix three parts alcohol with one part aloe vera gel, which prevents your skin from drying out. (If you can’t find pre-made aloe gel, you can also scrape some out of the leaves of an aloe plant. Cut the sides of a leaf and remove the top skin. Using a spoon, scrape the gel out. In a high-speed blender, blend the collected gel for two to three minutes, then use a strainer to filter the gel and remove leaf debris.)

If you want, add a few drops of essential oil to the mix for a nice scent.

Transfer your sanitizer to a clean, empty container. You can refill empty hand sanitizer bottles, or use any small container that’s easy to carry with you. If you see cloudy sedimentation, shake the container before use.

Don’t Rely On “Natural” Cleaners For Coronavirus
Though you might want to minimize the use of harsh chemicals in your home, especially in your kitchen where food is prepared, the truth is that you need to rely on the tough stuff to kill the coronavirus and other harmful germs. Some “natural” household items may have helpful cleaning properties but will not disinfect:

Vinegar: Effective on mildew, dirt and bacteria, vinegar has long been a go-to for cleaning surfaces around the home. Though vinegar is a safe and natural way to get rid of some types of germs, it isn’t an EPA-registered household disinfectant and isn’t recommended in place of alcohol or bleach.

Tea tree and other essential oils: Though tea tree oil and other essential oils have been touted for a wide range of questionable benefits, including antiviral properties, there’s no scientific proof that they prevent people from contracting viruses. Essential oils can make your cleaning products smell nice and might even eliminate some types of bacteria, but you shouldn’t rely on them to kill the coronavirus.

15/04/2020

MAKE YOUR OWN DISINFECTANT SPRAY TO KILL CORONA VIRUS

These days, even clean freaks are getting a run for their money. In order to keep the coronavirus at bay, it’s important to disinfect your kitchen, bathrooms ― even the air ― sometimes multiple times per day. But with the recent panic-buying that’s wiped store shelves clean of commercial disinfectants, you might not have the usual products on hand.

Fortunately, you can make DIY hand sanitizer, disinfecting spray and wipes. Here’s what you need to know about making your own cleaning products that kill the coronavirus.

Items You’ll Need
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting your home that are crucial to follow when making your own disinfectants. For example, the CDC says that it’s important to use EPA-registered disinfectants that have been vetted for their effectiveness against COVID-19 and allow enough contact time on the surface for the disinfectant to work.

There are just a handful of solutions you need for DIY cleaning products, according to Dean Davies, cleaning supervisor for Fantastic Services, which specializes in antiviral sanitization. You may already have them in your medicine cabinet or pantry. If not, you may be able to find them in stores, though inventory may be limited right now.

Hydrogen peroxide: According to the CDC, hydrogen peroxide is effective against a whole army of microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses and spores. A solution of at least 3% will kill germs ― including the cold virus ― after six to eight minutes of exposure.

Isopropyl alcohol: Also known as rubbing alcohol, this chemical compound has proven disinfecting qualities when left on surfaces for at least 30 seconds. Since rubbing alcohol is water-soluble, it can be diluted, but the concentration needs to be at least 70% to kill coronaviruses. Also keep in mind that while alcohol is considered safe for all surfaces, it could discolor some plastics, so be sure to perform a spot test first.

Household bleach: Bleach is strong and effective at killing bacteria and viruses when diluted properly. According to the CDC, that’s 4 teaspoons of bleach per 1 quart of water. Just be sure to let your bleach solution sit for at least 10 minutes before wiping it off, and be sure it isn’t expired. A word of caution: Mixing bleach with certain other chemicals can create dangerous compounds; never combine bleach with ammonia, rubbing alcohol or acidic compounds, such as vinegar. Your safest bet is to use bleach with water only.

In addition to these chemicals, you will need a squeeze or spray bottle, paper towels and/or cotton fabric. Again, some of these items might be hard to find, so try to work with what you have.

06/08/2019

The moment you’ve all been waiting for is here! Get your very own trendy upcycled AMAL products made through the Aaj Ki Aurat initiative. All you have to do is access the 'A' Shop through the AMAL For Life App or the shop on our Aaj Ki Aurat page and buy your preferred item online! All your contributions will be used to help underprivileged women earn a living as well as prevent further damage to the environment.

Appstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amal-for-life/id1442826238…

Playstore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details…

26/07/2019

22/07/2019

Through the "Support Your Sister" campaign, our interns put their communication skills to the test as they went from door to door in the impoverished Saiden Shah Basti to convince women to join our Aaj Ki Aurat Zero waste challenge and learn career skills that will help contribute to their household income.
Counter to our expectation, almost all the women who we spoke with showed interest in this program and volunteered for the workshop. Their families were also quite supportive and were inspired by this cause, making the campaign a complete success.

02/07/2019

AMAL is a civil social organization that aims to transform the culture of wastefulness and inequality into one of sustainability and justice through the most pragmatic steps.

The Aaj Ki Aurat initiative is an opportunity where you can, not only be a part of the zero-waste challenge, but also assist women from underprivileged backgrounds to earn a living through meaningful ways. We urge you to join us in taking these seemingly minimal steps to be a part of a massive change.

“Life ho Haseen,
agar AMAL ho Green.”