Girls start sanitary pads bank to address lack of menstrual hygiene

NAWADA: Girls in Nawada, Bihar start an initiative to address menstrual needs in the district. The young girls will collect one rupee a day from each girl and the contribution will be used to arrange sanitary pads for those who need it.

Youth leader Anu Kumari said that the initiative is to protect women’s menstrual health, specifically those who cannot afford pads. These girls also conduct dialogues on the subject of menstruation and safe sex. They came up with this initiative when they recognised that there was lack of awareness about their own body and it was often that their menstrual needs were not met due to lack of money.

Bihar ranks lowest in India in number of women having access to or using sanitary pads. These girls have also come forward to demand for set up of youth-friendly health clinics where girls and women can discuss and find solutions to their issues without fear or prejudice. Authorities in the district have fulfilled their request. Bola Rajvanshi, former Mukhiya, Hardiya, said, “I feel our society has changed. Now there is no difference between girls and boys.”

The young girls were inspired from a show titled ‘Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon’ produced by Population Foundation of India. The show focuses on women in a village who find their voices through collective action under the leadership of the show’s protagonist Dr Sneha.