Support for menstrual health for girls in India

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the Indian Dreams Foundation!

(Menstrual hygiene management helping keep the girl in school)

“When I got my periods, my mother didn’t allow me to go to school during period days; even I was also afraid of being humiliated, so I just stayed at home,” says Deepa (name changed), a seventeen – year – old school girl.

Deepa is not alone, according to an early survey conducted by the organization under Smiley Days Project, a large ratio of girls miss up to three days of school each month because they have their periods. The reasons are many like shame, discomfort, private toilets facilities are often not accessible at school and lack of menstrual product. Along with these, cultural taboos are also a major reason behind the issue that prohibits girls & women from everyday activities. Misinformation & a lack of knowledge about menstruation and reproductive system in general compound the problem.

The awareness program on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) named SMILEY DAYS that IDF has been implementing to break down the stigma surrounding girls’ menstruation while educating girls & women on their changing bodies and menstruation hygiene management.

“We girls were afraid to talk about periods even with our mothers also but when we come to school and the IDF team has started to talk to us on periods and MHM. Now everyone, even the small girls who haven’t started their periods yet, they already know about changes during puberty and they take care of themselves and understood what to do when it comes to a period”,                                               says Poonam (name changed), a schoolgirl.

We will continue to keep you updated about our work and events.

Many thanks again for your support!

 

Regards,

IDF Team