Girls who are menstruating in Nepal experience unsanitary, unhygienic conditions that leave them open to infection and the indignity of being forced to use unclean rags, leaves, and other ineffective methods to manage menstrual blood flow every month. The are less likely to attend classes, undermining their prospects for completing their education, experts say. Girl students in rural Nepal age 12-18 often stay at home and miss school during menstruation because they cannot afford or do not have access to expensive disposable sanitary pads. As girls miss school regularly, they fall behind in their studies and often drop out. Some have embarrassing bleed-through accidents and/or contract infection. Too many suffer loss of dignity and self confidence.
"Many girls drop out at secondary level and only 30 percent of the cohorts reach the 10th grade," Sumon Kamal Tuladhar, an education specialist with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).The literacy rate for females stands at just 44.2 percent as opposed to 67.7 percent for males, according to Nepal's Ministry of Education.
We plan to provide menstrual training & 5000 washable sanitary kits for 79 village development committees of Sindhupalchowk District that lasts for 3 years .
The objectives of the project are to:
1. Provide an integrated approach to addressing girls' needs for effective sanitary pads and sex education through distribution of effective, culturally sensitive, and reusable menstrual hygiene products. These 'kits'contain underwear, reusable sanitary pads, a washcloth, plastic zip bags, and a menstrual calendar all designed to last for up to three years.
2. Reduce the stigma and shame of menstruation through use of these products and age-and culturally appropriate reproductive health education for girls and capacity building among local health aides.
Currently, We distributed around 5000 washable sanitary kits to 30 schools of Kavre,Sindhuli & Siraha district along with menstrual health training through global grant GG1747475. And what we found is we need this kind of project badly.
|