Support for menstrual health for girls in India

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the Indian Dreams Foundation!

It is our pleasure to share with you the updates of the Smiley Days Project that aims to disseminate knowledge and information towards menstrual hygiene management and wellbeing to the targeted adolescent girls and women from urban and rural slums of Agra, India.

Now, we are come up with the story of one of our beneficiaries of the Smiley Days Project. She has experienced her first menses a few months ago during the lockdown and dealt it with confidently.

Rajni (name changed), a 13 years old girl and living in a dense slum of Agra, Uttar Pradesh state with her parents and five younger siblings. Recently she has discussed her story more over her experience with the Smiley Days team about her first-period experience during COVID19 lockdown.

Rajni said, “I am really happy because, now I have entered womanhood – a proud aspect of my life. A few months ago, I began menstruating like my other school friends. It was morning time, I realized something wet in my inner wear that felt awkward and discomfort. I rushed to the washroom to know the reason and I checked downward. It was my first menses, I was feeling low, shame, and nervous. But at the same time, I recalled that it is a part of every girl’s life, although it’s a natural biological process that I learned during the Smiley Days workshop in my school and I took a deep breath with a satisfactory smile on my face.

I informed my mother about my first menses and she was so happy that her daughter has begun her new journey towards womanhood. The knowledge & information that I gained during Smiley Days workshops helped a lot that time to give me confidence even during the lockdown period. I managed my first periods with confidence and didn’t stop my regular activities. As everyone faced the tough situation during the lockdown, all shops were closed and I was afraid of not having sanitary napkins in my first period. On the first day, my mother handed me a clean washed and dried cloth that she informed by Smiley days team during the community workshop and next day I contacted the Smiley days' team members to get my Smiley kit that contains sanitary pads, vaginal wash, panty, soap, etc. and I managed my first period with dignity and proud.

That day I realized how important for every girl to know about her periods. I thank the Smiley Days team to equip me with the right information and education about period issues”.

IDF is delighted to witness such a massive change in girls’ lives and hopes to create an army of happy and confident girls.

Many thanks again for your support!



We will continue to keep you updated about our work, events, and story of change.

 

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Regards,

Team IDF