Sultanpur girl lifts the veil of secrecy, fights for menstrual dignity

Time of India

28-05-2025

Lucknow: Every Saturday afternoon during a menstrual hygiene management club meeting, the dusty blackboard at Sultanpur's govt high school in Kanakpur Shikva village transforms into a vibrant canvas of ideas.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Here, 16-year-old Shraddha Tiwari and her fellow club members gather to discuss menstrual hygiene and create informative and innovative communication materials on the topic. Powering an outreach that includes not just girls but also boys, mothers, male family members, and teachers, Shraddha has become a revered peer educator and menstrual health advocate, impacting hundreds of lives.
Shraddha's journey began in the stifling silence of her own home.
"My mother handed me a piece of cloth and instructed me not to speak about this to anyone," she recalls in a voice still laced with the memory of confusion and isolation. She adds, "And then, the 'don'ts' piled up – no temples, no pickles, no washing hair – a litany of restrictions that painted menstruation as a curse, not a natural process."
This wasn't just her story. It was the story of Ragini, who thought she had a disease; of Roshni, who was forced to miss a week of school every month; of Swati, who was caught in the throes of pain during Diwali, clueless and alone.
It was also about Anukalp, watching his sister withdraw, her joy replaced by a silent, inexplicable sadness.
The winds of change arrived in the form of the Swachh Garima Vidyalaya initiative and a teacher named Sangeeta Gupta, who dared to write "menstruation" on the blackboard. That word, once taboo, became a catalyst. Shraddha, shy and reserved, found her voice. "That day, I realised that educating my peers could empower them," she says.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Shraddha's initiatives are as practical as they are revolutionary. Pad-making workshops, where even boys learn to create cloth pads, empower girls with choice and independence. Informative charts and posters, created by her peers, demystify the process. And then, there's the open dialogue, the raw, honest conversations that break down barriers and dismantle myths. "As a male teacher, I found it challenging to address menstruation.
Seeing Shraddha speak openly was an eye-opener," says Ram Teerath Rajak, head teacher of a neighbouring school. Recognising the crucial role mothers play, Shraddha initiated community-level interactions, educating them about menstrual hygiene and dispelling age-old myths. She unveiled the dangers of using unsuitable cloth, the importance of proper disposal, and the need for medical guidance. "Now, Girls no longer fear asking their fathers or brothers for menstrual products," says Sangeeta.
Swati, a workshop participant, said, "I learned that only muslin cloth should be used. Before this, my mother would tear cloth from anything – even terrycloth and synthetic fabrics. This would often lead to rashes and itching." Kumar Bikram, WASH Officer, UP, says, "Shraddha's story exemplifies essence of Swachh Garima Vidyalaya: empowering girls to share knowledge on menstrual hygiene and health practices."