Stress on menstrual hygiene among girls, hostel students
Trichy: Awareness programmes focusing on menstruating teenage girls and hostel students, were conducted by Trichy corporation's urban primary health centres (UPHCs) on Wednesday, as a part of the World Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Day observed annually on May 28.
The local body promoted the availability of cost-free menstrual napkins provided by the state govt through educational institutions and anganwadis.
City health officer Vijay Chandran said that the local body conducted events in libraries and anganwadi centres by inviting the targeted age group of girls and women residing nearby the centres.
Since prolonged usage of menstrual napkins will cause health issues, women health volunteers and urban health nurses who conducted the sensitization drives urged the girls to change the pads frequently to prevent infections.
"Unwanted fears of irregular menstruation among teenage girls who recently started menstruating were discussed by our health workers. The cycle and menstrual flow will differ for every individual woman. Young girls were advised to change their menstrual pads frequently since govt is providing free sanitary napkins," Chandran said.
He added that wardens in govt hostels and anganwadi workers can be approached to obtain the napkins manufactured by women self-help groups (SHGs). Corporation said that circulars will be issued to hostels and educational institutions to ensure the working conditions of incinerators in toilets, to dispose of the used napkins.
"In houses, residents can hand over the used sanitary napkins separately to the sanitary workers. They should not mix with other domestic waste," the officer added.
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These meetings have helped build confidence among girls and encouraged an open dialogue.'One of our most impactful efforts was setting up a stall on menstruation during the school's science exhibition,' says explanations always work better. The students displayed charts and models explaining the menstrual cycle, hygiene practices, and myths surrounding the topic. The best thing was that many women from nearby villages visited the stall and engaged in the discussions.'It helped start important conversations in the community,' says the the idea forward, Shradhha and the club organised sessions in the villages where they encouraged women to educate their daughters and not hide this natural WITH BOYS AND IMPACTING MEN ON MENSTRUATIONThe most impactful difference Shradhha has made to her community is involving boys and fathers. 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She wants to keep expanding to neighbouring villages and districts.'I've also visited nearby schools to talk about menstrual hygiene. Before each session, I prepare by revisiting what I've learned through the MHM club and try to make the sessions interactive and relatable,' she says, noting that the response has been very positive."Every time I spoke, I saw a light go on in someone's eyes," she words reach not just students, but teachers as well – both men and women -- who once shied away from discussing menstruation. Headteacher Ram Teerath Rajak of a nearby school recalls being unsure about how to talk about menstruation. 'As a male teacher, it was difficult for me. But watching Shraddha speak so confidently was an eye-opener,' he has been encouraging everyone to talk openly about menstruation both at home and within their wants to think bigger after she graduates high school.'I plan to form a dedicated group that can carry this work forward. Together, we will reach out to more schools and villages, raise awareness, and help create safe spaces for conversations around menstrual health,' she wants to take the movement far beyond her SHRADHHA REFUSES TO BE SILENCEDShradhha's efforts align seamlessly with the Swachh Bharat Mission, and brings this basic fact into the limelight – menstrual health is a part of the broader discussions on cleanliness and public health. It is not an isolated keeps her going? It's the small moments that show that she was able to create the desired impact. Where there was complete silence around menstruation earlier, young girls have started to speak up now.'Many girls now come up to me and say they want to be like me, they support me and are eager to be part of the change,' says thanks to the awareness sessions, there's more openness and confidence among the girls in the community. 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She dreams of ensuring that very school has an MHM (Menstrual Hygiene Management) club, just like the one she was part of.'I want to create spaces where girls can talk openly about menstruation without fear or shame and help break the taboos that still exist around this topic,' she Bikram, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Officer at UNICEF India, says it best: 'Shraddha's story shows what Swachh Garima Vidyalaya is all about -- young girls getting the right information, challenging wrong beliefs, learning skills, and helping others.'Right now, she wants to start an initiative to promote the use of cloth pads as a sustainable and healthier alternative to plastic-based sanitary pads.'Many women fall sick due to poor menstrual hygiene. My goal is to spread awareness about cloth pads in my community and eventually turn this into a small business,' she can bring in a two-fold benefit -- improve women's health and create a source of income to sustain the club. As a teenager with her life in front of her, Shradhha loves learning new things and gaining knowledge. And she wants three things: 'the freedom to explore, to ask questions, and to experience life without limitations.'And while support from her school and SBM-G has helped set the stage, it's Shraddha who's writing the script -- with courage, heart, and unstoppable clarity.'More than anything, I want to break these barriers, not just for myself, but for other girls too,' says Shradhha.
