5 govt schools to get sanitary napkin machines, incinerators

Ludhiana: For spreading awareness in teenage girls about mensuration and eliminating the element of taboo associated with it, Vardhman Group launched Project Nandini in association with Action India, a Delhi-based organization at Guru Nanak Bhawan on Wednesday.

Under the project, Vardhman Group would install sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators in five government schools— GSSS-Kasabad, GSSS-Mundiya and GSSS-Sekhewal, GHS-Lohara and GHS-Giaspura— to be used by girls and village women.

Apart from this, girls would be taught about menstrual hygiene where a lecture of two hours would be given once a month by Action India, which works on increasing women empowerment and gender equality, and will visit all government schools by February 2020.

Director of Action India, Gauri Chaudhary, an Oscar recipient for the movie, Period-end of sentence, while inaugurating the project at Guru Nanak Bhawan, said, “It is not just a project, but a vision. Self-help groups have been involved in making an economical and compostable sanitary napkins.”

More than 100 girls from the respective schools present were asked to spread among their peers that menstruation is not a taboo. With the lack of funds and glitches by government , Dr Hitinder Kaur, CMO Civil Hospital appreciated the move and said , “Earlier accredited social health activists and auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) imparted this education but now due to the lack of funds, the work of disseminating information has been taken over by NGOs.”

District education officer (secondary), Swaranjit Kaur, who was also present at the launch said, “If these girls cannot share about their ordeals with their parents and teachers, they can approach the team holding the lectures. The school authorities need to ensure that the vending machines and incinerators are functional.”

Vardhman Group director Sagrika Jain raised the slogan ‘Aao mil kar chuppi todein’ (Lets break the silence together) to increase awareness about menstrual hygiene as it has been associated with many taboos and stigma since a long time.

Jagraon ADC Sagrika Jain presided over as the chief guest and encouraged girls to not let periods stop them from pursuing their education. She applauded the schools for taking the step of educating their girl students about menstrual health.