End Period Taboos and Free 11,000 Girls in Nepal

Nineteen-year-old Kanchhi sits on the veranda of her family home, gently rocking her six-month-old baby boy. Life has shifted quickly for her over the past two years. When she was still in school, Kanchhi fell in love with a boy from a neighbouring village, and the young couple decided to elope. Suddenly, she found herself trying to balance her old dreams of education with the new, heavy responsibilities of married life.

Just a few months after the wedding, Kanchhi realised she was pregnant. The news brought a wave of confusion and fear, as she was forced to understand the complexities of pregnancy care much sooner than she had ever imagined. With the support of her mother, she began attending health check-ups and eventually delivered a healthy baby boy.

Following local tradition, Kanchhi returned to her maternal home for rest and care after the birth. It was during this stay that she encountered our partner’s project, the Garima Project. She attended a community session where the team discussed the biological reality of menstruation and the harmful taboos that many girls in rural Nepal still face.

For the first time, Kanchhi understood that the restrictions she had grown up with—beliefs that often hold women back—had no scientific basis. Listening to the facilitators helped her see menstruation as a natural process rather than something to be ashamed of. The knowledge gave her a new sense of clarity and confidence.

Today, Kanchhi is a different woman from the schoolgirl who married early. She has committed to following healthy hygiene practices and is determined to teach her younger relatives to do the same. She hopes that by sharing what she has learned, she can help create a more supportive and informed environment for the women in her village.

Thank you for your continued support to this project, to ensure no woman feels shame and stigma.