Girls Glory - Improve Menstrual Health in India

REACHING HAND Girls Glory - (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)) program has been progressing at a steady pace in the last quarter. Though most corporate contribute towards building new toilets and renovation of the exiting toilets, this quarter we have many corporate who joined hands with us to maintain these toilets post construction. Maintenance is an integral part to have functional and clean toilets in the long run.

We have started installing incinerators in the toilets in our Girls Glory program for burning the waste. RH team has started training the teachers on its safety measures and uses age and have started conducting awareness session for the students to maintain hygienic disposal of waste during periods. Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas and heat.

With the support of 7 corporate and many individuals we have distributed 1,170 Health and Hygiene kits to students in 6 schools and 640 MHM Kits to female student beneficiaries.

We inaugurated Six new toilet /restroomunits, five urinals along with hand washing unit, one incinerator (pad burning machine) for the use of 327 girls in GMPS Yelahanka New Town on 14th June, 2019.
Health- hygiene and MHM classes are conducted for these students on a bi-monthly basis.

Again, three new toilet units were inaugurated in GKHPS, Hoskote on 29^th June, 2019. This will build the confidence of 155 female students of the school.

Hear from the Beneficiaries:

Rashmi, 10^th Std,-Government Aided Gowtham High School, Kolar Dist

“Menstruation in my community is considered as untouchable. Especially during festival days we were not allowed to take part in any activity which is sometimes extreme seclusion.

I get infection and rashes on my genital area so I stopped using cloth and switched to sanitary pads but still I faced the same issue occasionally. Unfortunately I did not have the courage to broach the subject to elders or friends.

Reaching Hand team conducted an effective workshop on MHM in mid June which was very informative and useful. Initially I was very shy and embarrassed but very soon clarified my doubts. Now Il practice the hygiene tips given by RH team and have been having better health especially during menstruation days.”

Vinutha,7^th std GGHS,Malur,Kolar dist

“I was brought up in village of Malur. My parents were quite orthodox in their approach to menstruation.I faced a major problem in my school too as toilet units were. We had only two units for 320 girls. Most of the girls either skip classes or don’t use wash room during their menstruation days. There was also a lack of knowledge and information about menstruation. Majority of the girls did not know what happened when they experienced menarche.

I thank Reaching Hand for conducting a sensitization workshop on WASH and MHM which was an eye opener for us and also how to manage our periods safely by following the hygiene practices. We also thank our sponsors for building new toilet units”

Plan Ahead:

Recently RH Team has started distributing “Menstrupedia comics” to female students in 10 Schools. We plan to reach 1840 students in 10 schools. This will help them to understand the process in a pictorial way.

MHM kits will be distributed to 1771 students in 8 schools and we plan the inauguration of toilet units in 8 new schools by the next quarter.

We are very thankful for your continuous support and look forward to the same through our journey ahead.