Support for menstrual health for girls in India

Menstruation should be discussed openly...

Once again we are pleased to share the First Period Story from our ground.

Most girls and women remember their first period, and for some, it was an unforgettable experience. On our journey of Smiley Days Project to spread education and knowledge on female reproductive health or MHM, we reached out to adolescent girls and women to share their first-period stories with the team.

Suman, 13 years (name changed) shared her story, “I love to study so I go to the school regularly. I hardly skip school. But a few months ago, I didn’t go to school. My parents were surprised by my sudden behaviour. They thought that I was losing interest in my studies. But the truth was my menarche; as my first periods started. I wanted to share it with my mother but I was scared and my lips were locked because one morning, my lower was spoiled along with the red stain on my bed sheet too. I was scared that if my mother scolded me for the mess.”

Then one morning, my mother came and asked me the reason for not going to school. I wasn't controlling my tears and ran to her and screamed: “Sorry mother, my dress is spoiled and I don’t know what happened to me”. My mother hugged me and kissed me on my forehead and handed me a sanitary napkin to me.

The next day, she took me to the SMILEY DAYS resource centre for counselling. Thanks to the counsellor didi who described everything and motivated me to be happy even during periods also. Now I go to school even my periods too”.

There are many girls like Suman who are unaware of their first periods and become scared when they get it and they hide the truth from everyone. But in reality, they need much support, motivation and proper knowledge that time to deal with the periods’ issues with confidence. 

Our Smiley Days team regularly conducts educational sessions on periods in schools and communities and tries to make this topic more common.

Thanks to our supporters who are changing lives and creating an educated & empowered world for women and girls.

If you are not yet a recurring donor, we warmly invite you to consider a monthly donation. Even a few dollars a month will go a long way. Consistent support is the key as this is the best way to ensure ongoing impact.

Thank you so much!

 
Regards,

Team IDF 

Hi friends,

Greetings from the Indian Dreams Foundation!

In the month of November 2022, IDF has started to spread its wings in new underserved communities in Agra to sensitize and spread awareness towards menstrual health & hygiene and the wellbeing of women and adolescent girls under the Smiley Days Project.

IDF has been running the Smiley Days Initiative for last many years to eradicate the stigma associated with menstruation-related issues. It also helps adolescent girls and women in overcoming the social barrier associated with menstruation.

Through this project, IDF has been continuously reaching into the new slums to provide MHM (menstrual hygiene management) knowledge & education to the large masses.

Yesterday (22nd November 2022), IDF organized an awareness workshop cum Interaction session with women and girls in a newly selected area.

The details of the workshop are given below,

Community Name/ Venue: Nagla Parsoti, Gwalior Road Agra

 Beneficiaries: Adolescent girls and women

Total Number of Participants: 65

Item Distributed: Distributed Smiley Kit that includes sanitary pads, Soap, shampoo, paste and towel.

Women looked so excited during the workshop and shared their views with the Smiley Days team.

The team has collected the few beneficiaries’ testimonials below;  

Pooja (name changed), 32 years, said “There was no one who can talk to us on periods. It’s our first experience and I am very happy to attend the session. I often felt periods something a very shameful and dirty issue that must be hidden from others. But today I realized how stupid I was! Now today, I feel proud of myself for having periods”.  

Sadhna (name changed), 18 years an adolescent girl said “Due to my mother’s unawareness, I have been suffering from a severe issue related to my periods. When I got my first period, my mother took me to the doctor for treatment and he gave me lots of medicines to continue my periods every month. Now the result is that I menstruate when I take medicines. But today I came to know during the Smiley Days workshop that when a girl first starts to menstruate, her periods may not be regular. She might have a few periods that are 30 days apart, and then a couple of months without a period at all. This is normal. It can take up to 2 years for her cycle to become more regular. Thanks to the Smiley Days team to educate us on our periods”.

Thanks to all for your support and motivation in our Smiley Days journey.

Thanks & Regards,

Team IDF