SSMI grooms children from the economically weaker section from pre nursery to class 10. In a well lit room with daris on the floor, I was handed the mike to break the ice and start the session with a group of 100 odd girls from across classes between the age group of 10- 16 years. The girls were hesitant to begin with but soon felt at ease with the open flow of conversation. About half of the group raised their hands when asked if their periods had started and the average age for those who raised their hands was 13. We covered topics detailing the process of menstruation, the physiological aspect is easy to explain with the rubber model of the reproductory system that I have as a gift from Malini, Co Founder Stone soup. We discussed the average cycle, maintaining hygiene, nutritious food to be consumed, solutions available including cloth pads, options of disposal and common ailments among other things. Some girls enthusiastically voluneteered to demonstrate the yog asans that are helpful in cramps and regularising periods, as we discussed easy home remedies for relief. We also discussed superstitions and common beliefs that may have been useful in an era gone by but are reduntant as of today.  A sample question that was addressed and the answer to it is mentioned below.

Q: Can I go to the temple/pray when I have my date (periods are also called dates as I learnt)
A: If the God that you pray to, stops listening to you when you are on your period then we don’t need such a God

The above is a typical question that needs to be answered in reference to physiological and social context. In the bygone era to give relief to the woman from her daily chores, few days through her menstruation may have been a period of rest. Also because adequate hygiene solutions may not have been accessible and the temples being a social place, it may lead for them to stain/spot especially while bowing down. Further since there is a higher risk for infections while catering to the demands of sex during periods, hence social rules were set for absitenence that got convoluted to being ‘impure’. In todays age with adequate solutions and knowledge there is no reason for not visiting the temple.

The girls were inquistive, interactive, receptive and were quick to grasp all the information shared. Contrary to popular media stories that rile up the ‘poor nation’ stereotypes to endorse their documentary films or products without actual insights.When so much positive influence that the media can spread to bust myths and superstitions, amplifying stereotypes is such a disservice to the cause. What for just a few dollars more?

Oh Btw! SABERA was launched for this very reason, to amplify the voices doing good beyond the melee of sensational media endeavours. SSMI was acknolwded through a certificate of appreciation for their contribution in the catgory Education in 2018. This year they vie to win the trophy in the Health & nutrition category for their program that provides fortified weaning food to 18000 women and children daily, providing employment to 120 marginalised women in the process.

The director took me on an a tour proudly showing the various social interventions that SSMI is involved in to minimise its dependence on donations and maximise self sustainability. Other outreach programs included a large community kitchen , a textile & block printing wing exporting cloth bags/linen and a green house using innovative methods of growing food.  All this while providing employment to marginalised women from the neighbouhood slums. I wish her the best.

And in case you are you an individual, CSR team member or an enterprise that believes and Does Good. Then you must submit your entries to SABERA 2019 too and avail the early bird discounts till they last! To know more log in here.

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WomanEndangered (WE) organized a drive to distribute menstrual cups and sensitive women about feminine hygiene. Menstruation still being a taboo subject, the #LetsTalkPeriod campaign is aimed to affect a change in mindset . This was the second meet organized by WE at Patparganj. The first was a few months back focusing on feminine hygiene.

Walking through the dusty lanes, the stench and dirt is hard to miss. The roads have been dug up from both the sides and a narrow stretch of 1 metre is what’s left to navigate through. All kinds of travelers navigate on this stretch- from the school girls to the holy cow, from the ferocious dogs to the young adults with dreary eyes.
Five minutes later I enter a compound. The veranda is clean, chairs are neatly arranged for the meeting and posters reading Mahila Panchayat organised by Delhi Mahila Aayog and supervised by Sur Nirman- Educational and Cultural Society welcome us.

I am not going to talk about the torment women have faced since time immemorial but what I will highlight here is the stigma still attached to even talking about a natural bodily function women experience every month. Suparnaa Chadda, founder of WE, pointed out ‘No one is hesitant to talk about facial hair and shaving but when it comes to periods, it is something shameful to talk about.’ This shame and hesitation to talk about periods results in various hygiene and health problems that women could suffer from. Suparnaa states that it is a sign of a healthy body and a natural mechanism to detox the body- a blessing for women, not shame!
WE beautifully talks about periods using the power of music i.e.  sargam ke saath sur- sa re ga ma pa dha ni sa. Each sur is an abbreviation for the health tips to be followed while a woman is on her period. Sa stands for suti kapda (cotton cloth); wearing cotton clothes during period so that there is no rash or itching in the pelvic region, ga stands for geela kapda  (wet cloth); do not wear wet clothes during period. ma stands for mahavaari (period); use sanitary pads or cups during periods. Pa stands for pyaar (love); wash pelvic region after sexual intercourse. Dha stands for dhona (wash); wash hands and pelvic region after visiting the washroom. Ni stands for khaana (food); consume nutritious food, preferably home cooked meals, especially while on period.

Along with sensitising women about periods WE is also promoting the use of menstrual cups over the sanitary pads. Sanitary pads are non-biodegradable and could also cause infertility in the long run. Menstrual cups, on the other hand, do not cause any problems in the long run since it does not have any chemicals. It can be used for 10 years effectively, saving a lot of money that would have been spent on buying the sanitary pads. Women can also take part in activities such as swimming wearing the menstrual cup. The cost of these cups in the market is INR 900 but WE distributed 70 such cups in Patparganj at the cost of INR 10, to ensure a value association and long term usage of the cup.

The event was unique since it was attended by 70 women, all from the underprivileged sector, indicating that there is scope to take up this issue across different sections of society. Suparnaa and her team will visit the camp again after 3 months to take feedback from the women to whom the 70 cups were distributed.
This is a battle against changing the mind-set and is a tough road to take. WE has taken the mantle to bring about a change in the society and this meet did change the way I looked at periods.
Come on India, #LetsTalkPeriod!

The post Talking notes on Menstruation- माहवारी की बात हो रही है appeared first on Woman Endangered.

I must have been 10-11 years old. I remember coming back home one day, crying my eyes out. School was particularly different that day. I had felt it the moment I woke up. While, I could feel that something is happening to me, I could not really put a finger on it. It was a white uniform day. I took the physical education class in the first half and by the time we hit the recess, I had begun to feel the cramps. And then I began to bleed.

When the students started sniggering, I realized something was wrong. I had stained my skirt and the class teacher sent me to the washroom to clean up.  My periods had started & I was quite befuddled since I had no clue of what was happening.  I was the butt of my classmate’s jokes, with someone going to the extreme of telling me, how I would now be operated upon, since this was a serious medical condition. Reaching home with swollen eyes, Ma gave me the much needed solace with a sanitary pad along with a quick lesson on how to wear it.  But she missed telling me how to deal with this new phase in my life. All of it was addressed through an all encompassing statement that pronounced me tobe a big girl. What the menstruation cycle was, its significance or implications were all left for me to figure on my own or through divine providence. I was elated to be considered a grown up but a lot of questions went unanswered.

Over the course of time, I learnt the nuances of menstruation but my questions were still unanswered. Many restrictions were suddenly imposed which I could never have fathomed before the onset of my menstrual cycle. Unwritten rules of restricted foods, movement and conversations were new to me. My carefree world would walk into hushed conversations without much explanation on why I couldn’t pray or eat pickle. It made me feel the need to hide the fact that I was menstruating. Speaking with boys about it was out of question.

While I blended in with this norm of my changing world, a lack of open conversation or adequate answers to my questions may have repressed my emotions, but it led me to counter most of what my family expected of me. A rebel, especially through the hormonal havoc that adolescence played, made me get into ugly arguments with the family frequently. Shutting myself to healthy conversations and conclusions to differences were drawn by the tantrums I threw.

It’s only now that I am learning to channelize my emotions and voicing my thoughts without the fear of being judged.  I am learning the need to engage in a healthy conversation without fear or shame, especially about a natural process such as periods. I hope more women can address this deep rooted fear and stop the shame associated with the cycle especially when we nurture the next generation into healthy adults.  It’s time we spoke. #LetsTalkPeriod

Kritika Sreedharan is a public health professional and an eccentric by temperament by her own assessment. A ferocious reader and a sporadic writer, Kritika is passionate about women issues and sexual and reproductive rights in India.

You too can break the silence around menstruation #LetsTalkPeriod. Purchase 1 menstrual cup & we will gift 1 on your behalf to a marginalized women, that takes care of her menstrual needs for 8-10 years. Or you can simply support the initiative through www.desiredwings.com/period

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