Support for menstrual health for girls in India

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the Indian Dreams Foundation!

It is our pleasure to share with you how your funds are changing lives in India and How the girls & women are gaining confidence to talk about the most neglected issue “PERIODS”.

As partners, we believe it is important to let you know your resources are well managed and truly serving the underserved girls & young women in India.

We are sharing with you the latest case of a girl who has recently faced her first period. Our Smiley Days team has been doing regular counselling with the girl as well as her mother.  

Meenu (name changed) is eleven years old and a school-going girl. She has started her first periods last week. For the entire duration of her periods, she refused to go to school and even didn’t go outside to play with her friends. She has shared her first-period experience with the Smiley Days Team during counselling sessions.

She said, “I went to attend the wedding of my relatives. I was so happy and excited. I was dancing with my friends during the wedding ceremony. Suddenly, one of my friends came to me and whispered in my ear. She said my dress has spoiled; there is a red blood spot on my bottom. I was surprised and I rushed to the toilet. Moment I was so scared when I saw my panty have blood spots and wanted to cry but kept myself calm that time. I thought I caught some dirty disease. I called my mother and told her everything. Without saying anything, my mother handed over me sanitary pads and engaged in the ceremony”.

Meenu added, “I saw the sanitary pad first time in my life, so I didn’t know how to use it. Then my mother helped me that time and she set sanitary pads on my panty. The next day, my mother and I returned to my home. Still, I was nervous. One of my neighbour friends who have already a part of the Smiley Days program and attended a couple of workshops on menstrual hygiene management brought me to the IDF’s resource centre. I was happy to get knowledge on my periods from an elder sister at the centre”.

That’s the first part of Meenu’s story that how did she manage her first periods with the help of her mother and her friend introduced her to our resource centre for counselling. We will be delighted to share with you the second part of Meenu’s story soon in our next report.

Thank you so much for your valuable support and encouragement in changing many adolescent girls' lives in India through the Smiley Days program.

Regards,

Team IDF