By Jyoti Singh | Project Head
Dear Friends,
“Menstruation is a natural biological process which needs to be discussed openly. However, it is a matter of dignity”.
Indian Dreams Foundation is rigorously working to disseminate knowledge & education on Menstrual Hygiene Management through SMILEY DAYS PROJECT.
We thank all stakeholders and well-wishers for their generous support and well wishes which motivate us to work dedicatedly in the areas of reproductive health & hygiene for the adolescent girls & women.
We regularly conduct awareness workshops & counselling sessions with girls & women from the slums to motivate them to follow healthy & hygienic practices during menstruation.
Recently an Interaction Session on Menstrual Hygiene Management was held at Devri Road, Agra District, India. Approximately 110 adolescent girls and women from urban slums participated and shared their understanding of MHM.
During the interaction, various issues related to menstruation (including proper menstruation hygiene management) were discussed. Senior women shared their old age mindsets towards menstruation that Menstruating women are treated as impure whether they take a bath or not. Family members do not like to eat food which is made by menstruating women.
Adolescent school girls said that we often call menstruation by different names so that no one understands we are talking about Menstruation. Few names are MC, Mahina, Down, Dates etc.
We were shocked when Smiley Days team asked the participants that who uses sanitary napkins on a regular basis? Among all the 110 participants only two girls raised their hands for using sanitary napkins during periods. According to the participants’ responses, more than ninety-eight per cent girls and women use old clothes to manage their menstruation and sometimes create problems of infections in the form of itching, rashes, burns and smell etc.
Then the team motivated them to follow healthy & hygienic practices during menstruation whether they use old clothes or napkins. Before using the cloths, the cloths should be properly washed and dried in the sunlight. Smiley team also distributed sanitary napkins to all the participants and disseminated a message that Menstruation is a matter of dignity and symbol of good health, does not need to hide it and start discussing it. However, the massage of Smiley Days will reach in the broad masses.
Thank you so much for your continuous support.
Warm Regards,
Team IDF
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