Support for menstrual health for girls in India

“Why the blood come out from my vagina? It spoils my cloth, it gives me pain” said Kavita when she gets her periods.

Many such girls like Kavita get confused when they get their periods; they have a lot of queries to be discussed with someone.

Here is the story of Kavita.

Kavita (name changed), 14 years, is a special child who is mentally challenged. She attended a Smiley Days awareness workshop with her sister at her community park in previous months. Then the IDF team personally met with her.

Our health counselor asked her sister about the issues Kavita wanted to be guided with. She told us that Kavita came to know about her periods when her clothes get dirty. She didn’t pay heed to her mother’s instructions. She abstained from taking a bath during periods. She used cloth and was unable to take proper diligence while disposing of used cloth and her sister had to help her out. She lacked the ability to undertake hygiene measures. She also experienced severe pain during periods and to relieve her from the pain her mother gave her pain killers.

Kavita was in the need of the person who was able to explain all this to her with love and care. Our health counselor did the job. She made her understand as to how she could know that she is about to menstruate. She was advised to use sanitary napkins. Also, she has explained the hygienic measures to be taken to avoid harmful impacts on health. Counselor also suggested some measures to reduce abdomen pain during menstruation by using warm water and doing some exercises and to avoid pain killers as far as possible.

Now, Kavita uses sanitary pads and takes bath daily and wears clean undergarments during periods.

Dear friends,

It is our pleasure to share the progress updates of Smiley Days Project that dedicates to spread awareness & knowledge on menstrual hygiene management & wellbeing of adolescent girls & women.

In the previous month, we have organized three awareness workshops on MHM in different schools and distributed Smiley kits to the school girls. More than 200 girls between ages 11 – 15 years were addressed through the workshops and discussed their queries on periods.

During the workshop, the trainer described the anatomy of the female reproductive system and described why the girls have periods. The team gave the demo on how to use sanitary napkins and why sanitary napkins are comfortable in compare with cloths?

Girls were happy to receive their Smiley kits that consist of sanitary pads, panty, vaginal wash, soap, etc.

The trainer also described A balanced diet is essential for proper growth, development, and functioning of the body and this remains true even during the years of menstruation. A balanced diet containing lots of fresh fruits and vegetables should be taken. Consuming a diet rich in Iron is extremely important. Iron is required by the body to make hemoglobin, an important component of blood.

IDF is dedicated to spreading awareness of the importance of MHM. Your support & motivation always help us to achieve our mission.

Thank you so much for your support!

Regards,

Team IDF