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Adolescent Girls Moving Ahead, Breaking the Silence

on Menstruation

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Editors

Sangeeta, Deepika and Sunita

Story collection

Partner organizations

Photo collection

Partner organization and SAHAYOG team

Outlay

Deepika, Sangeeta and Serena

Translation into English

Shachi and Shanti

Publisher

Sahayog 2017

Contact details for copies:

A-240, Indira Nagar,

Lucknow-226016, Uttar Pradesh,

Telephone 0522 2310747, 2310860

Fax: 0522 2341319

Email: kritirc@sahayogindia.org

Website: www.sahayogindia.org

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 This collection of change stories is dedicated to the adolescent girls who have been
associated with project TARANG for the last five years. They have also been involved
actively in the Mere Sapne Mere Udaan campaign for the last two years (2016-2017),
through which they have been able to establish Menstrual Hygiene Management as a
social issue. They are creating massive changes within themselves and their families.

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 Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to all the adolescent girls who documented and
shared their change stories with us that formed the basis for this booklet Adolescent
Girls Moving Ahead, Breaking Silence on Menstruation.

We would like to acknowledge to the efforts of all our partner organizations: Vimarsh
Sansthan- Nainital, Uttarakhand; Bundelkhand Development Foundation- Lalitpur;
Gramya Sansthan- Chandauli and Shikhar Prashikshan Sansthan- Mirzapur, for
supporting us.

We appreciate the valuable contribution of this booklets editors, Deepika, Sangeeta,

Sunita and Serena.

We are thankful for and hereby acknowledge the contribution of Ford Foundation who
provided us with the financial support to publish this booklet.

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 Table of contents

Number Title Page Number

One Proposal 6

Two How We are Changing 9

Three I Dont Consider Menstruation to be a Problem 10

Four I Began Prioritizing Personal Hygiene 11

Five I Broke Age-Old Customs and Superstition for the Better 12

Six We Dont Face Humiliation Anymore 13

Seven I Worshipped During My Menstruation 14

Eight I Bathe Even During My Menstruation 15

Nine I Learned to Make Pads At Home 16

Ten Im not Afraid of Menstruation Anymore 17

Eleven Our School Provides Us With Sanitary Pads 18

Twelve We Now Understand the Importance of Toilet Facilities 29

Thirteen I Learnt that Menstruation Will Not Stop if we Burn Our 20

Pads

Fourteen My Mother Now Goes Against Superstition 21

Fifteen I Fought Superstitions (and the people who believe them) 22

and won

Sixteen I No Longer Hide At Home While Menstruating 24

Seventeen Adolescent Girls Overcoming Challenges and Breaking 25

Silence

Eighteen Project TARANG- Resource Material 28

Nineteen Project TARANG- Making News Headlines 31

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One: Proposal

This booklet, based on speaking out about menstruation, is a small glimpse of the
constant effort of 4000 adolescent girls in the Lalitpur, Chandauli, Mirzapur, and
Lucknow districts of Uttar Pradesh, and from District Nanital in Uttarakhand to break the
silence on menstruation and demand better facilities, amenities and services through
social advocacy.

Even today women and girls are considered impure and dirty during their menstruation
due to ancient myths and superstitious practices, and as a result adolescent girls and
women are subject to unfair practices while menstruating.

People in the target areas continue to believe that women should stay in the cattle-shed
during their menstruation as this has been decided by God. This belief manifests in
people forcing women around them to follow this. People hang their head in shame or
cover their face with a veil when menstruation is brought up. Talking about
menstruation and sharing information on the issue is a taboo in society. A lack of proper
facilities such as functional toilets, water and dustbins means that girls miss school while
menstruating and often drop out. The taboo means that most girls in the age group of
18-19 years are unaware of basic facts, like that there are different passages for
urination and menstruation.

SAHAYOG and its partner CBOs have observed positive changes in the adolescent girls
after joining project TARANG. These changes include enhanced self-confidence,
improved drive and ambition and most importantly taking a stand against
discrimination during menstruation. Therefore, it became essential to document these
initiatives taken by the adolescent girls and share their change stories with others.

The process of story collection:

First of all, adolescent girls who were part of TARANG and the conversation around
MHM were identified with the help of the field facilitators. Then these identified girls
were given a notebook by the field facilitators to document their change stories and the
struggle behind it. Therefore, this booklet stories captures the change stories of these
girls written by them in their own words (now translated into English).

After collecting the stories from the districts covered by project TARANG, SAHAYOG
short-listed a few stories for publication so that they can be shared with other girls to
inspire and encourage them to make changes in their lives.

We are extremely happy and proud to present this booklet, Adolescent Girls Moving
Ahead, Breaking the Silence on Menstruation to you. We hope that this booklet will
help you work effectively on the issue of sexual and reproductive health and rights of
adolescent girls, especially Menstrual Hygiene Management.

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About SAHAYOG:

Founded in 1992, SAHAYOG and its partners work on a variety of issues including
collaborating with men and boys to involve them in gender justice, advocating for the
sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and youth, and improving access to
maternal care services. SAHAYOG works closely with the communities and local
Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to builds their capacity and illuminate local
realities. SAHAYOG also works with its network partners to advocate for the provision of
required services to communities. SAHAYOG produces training materials and publishes
research papers on Reproductive Health and Rights of Women and Youth.

About Project TARANG:

Project TARANG was executed in four districts of Uttar Pradesh (Lalitpur, Chandauli,
Mirzapur and Lucknow) and one district of Uttarakhand (Nanital) with the help of
SAHAYOGs CBO partners for the last 6 years (2011-2017). Under the project, the
participating adolescent girls were provided with a thorough orientation on various
issues including gender-based discrimination, female education, mobility, violence,
nutrition, menstrual hygiene management and delayed age at marriage and first
pregnancy. They were empowered to monitor the status of these services in their
schools and community and advocate for provision of the same from the relevant
stakeholders.

Under project TARANG, bimonthly meetings are conducted with adolescent girls issues
mentioned above using various tools prepared by SAHAYOG such as Gender Chart,
Nutrition Chart, TARANG flyer, Snake and Ladder, Umang, Yuva-Tarang, Menstrual Cycle
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Chart, and issue based photographs and songs. The leaders amongst these groups of
girls also attended residential capacity building sessions to facilitate peer to peer
learning. The participants of project TARANG have run a campaign called Mere Sapne
Meri Udaan for the last six months to generate awareness on menstruation and
menstrual hygiene management (MHM) across their villages and blocks with the help of
other adolescent girls and boys, guardians, and stakeholders (education department,
health department, local governance etc.). The girls are generating awareness and
advocating for provisioning of required MHM services with the relevant stakeholders
using different media street plays, puppetry, petitions, drawing, wall writing, cycle rally,
speeches, dialogue, and memorandum.

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Two: How we are changing
A collection of change stories
Mamta-Lalitpur
My mother doesnt discriminate or
practice untouchability during
menstruation anymore. I am happy
that I was able to bring about this
change with me and my mother.
Other girls in my group have also
started challenging these practices.
Shivani- Mirzapur
We got our principal to get the
toilet in our school opened and
bucket and mug installed in it by
talking to him. He also got it
cleaned. Now, all of us (adolescent
girls) use the toilet in our school.
Champa Nanital
Now, everyone including my
mother, aunt and brother, has
understood that it was not wrong
on my part to challenge the myths
and superstitions around
menstruation. Nobody is
discriminated against during their
menstruation anymore in my house
and my brother helps us do
strenuous work during
menstruation.
Rashmi-Lalitpur
I now use an earthen pot with holes
on the outside to dispose used
cloth during menstruation. This way
I dont have to worry about
throwing the pads and my
surroundings also remain clean.
Ranjana-Chandauli
I now maintain proper hygiene during
my menstruation and bathe regularly. I
change the menstrual cloth 3-4 times in
a day. I help in doing household chores
and take proper rest in between. My
mother also supports me in doing this.
Rakhi- Lucknow
I am very happy as I could touch and
water the plants even during my
menstruation and the plants are still
green and healthy. Now, I have
understood that refraining girls from
touching plants during their
menstruation is an orthodox and
superstitious practice.
Shivani-Lucknow
Theres a massive change well
under way in the mindset of not
only in the adolescent girls but also
in the women of my community.
They have become more particular
about maintaining personal
hygiene during menstruation. They
dont consider menstruation blood
dirty and impure anymore. They
consider it to be normal blood.
Vandana- Mirzapur
I have experienced a lot of changes
within me. I no longer feel that it
would have been nicer had I not
started menstruating. I also attend
college during my menstruation.
Priyanka-Chandauli
My sister-in-law now disposes the
pad by burning it in a earthen pot.
She says that its become very
convenient for her to dispose of the
pad. We can now change the pad
as many times as we want.
Varsha-Lalitpur
I am happy that I have been able to
convince my family about the
importance of having a proper
toilet and bathroom at home. I
continue to encourage the
adolescent girls of my group to
convince their families to get
proper toilets and bathrooms
constructed in their houses.
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Three: I Dont Consider Menstruation to be a Problem

My name is Vandana (name changed) and I am 18 years old. I belong to block Rajgarh
in district Mirzapur. I have all the facilities at home. Just like the parents of other girls in
my village, my parents too have allowed me to study without imposing any restrictions
on me. Currently, I am pursuing my Bachelor of Arts (B.A.).

I used to have a lot of problems during the menstruation such as skin irritation and
infection in my vaginal area. I was unable to talk about this issue and seek help from
others, as I used to feel shy and embarrassed talking about it. My mother advised me
against drying the used cloth in the sun, and told me to dry it in a place where it is not
visible to anyone so that no one finds out that I am on my period. Due to this, I used to
feel depressed as I was not able to share my problems with anyone. As my
menstruation approached, I would start getting worried. I often wondered why people
menstruate and that it would have been nice if menstruation didnt occur at all.

Around the same time, one of my friends took me to attend a meeting organized as a
part of project TARANG. In this meeting information was provided on menstruation and
about menstrual hygiene management. Although initially I was quite hesitant to share
my problems and doubts, however, later I somehow mustered the courage to share the
same with didi (TARANG facilitator). She then told me about the dos and donts and
guided me on why it is important to maintain hygiene during menstruation.

Now, I regularly attend all the meetings as I have received a lot of useful information by
attending them. I do not hesitate in sharing my problems in the meetings anymore. I
even talk to my mother about these issues and often debate with her on the same, if
required. Earlier, my mother would lose her temper and disagree with me on these
issues. However, now after reading out books provided during group meetings and
having discussions on the same, I see my mother has developed an understanding the
issue. She doesnt lose her temper anymore and her behavior has also changed with
regards to these issues. I have also taught my sisters and sister-in-laws how to make
home-based pads out of cloth, ideal way of using it and the number of times it should
be changed in a day.

I have also experienced changes within me. I do not consider menstruation to be a

menace anymore. I have become more careful about maintaining hygiene during
menstruation such as drying the cloth in the sun. As a result, I am now leading a healthy
life and do not suffer any irritation and infections anymore. Now, I regularly attend my
classes in the college even during menstruation.

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Four: I Began Prioritizing Personal Hygiene

This story of change is from an urban slum in Indira Nagar, Lucknow. The nearby areas
of the slum are quite dirty. The slum has just one big dustbin to throw the garbage
which is mostly overflowing with excess garbage. This dustbin is cleared very rarely.
Animals such as pigs and dogs scatter this garbage. The lanes and the roads of this slum
are too narrow and houses built are half kaccha (mud) and half pucca (brick and
cement). Around 20-25 adolescent girls of this slum are associated to Project TARANG,
most of whom dropped out of school after standard 8th.

Most of the girls of the group shared that earlier they would either change the
pad/cloth only once in a day or they would change it only in case of excess bleeding.
Due to this, they would often suffer vaginal and skin infection. They would never wash
their hands before and after changing the pad and would dry their undergarments in
the shade, where it was not visible to others.

From the group: After joining Project TARANG one year ago, we were provided with
education on a variety of issues such as gender based discrimination, violence and
sexual and reproductive health. We received detailed information on Menstrual Hygiene
Management.

Earlier we used to hesitate and shy away from talking about menstruation; however we
now discuss the issue openly amongst ourselves. We also share our problems with each
other. After receiving information on Menstrual Hygiene Management, we now only use
clean, sun-dried cotton cloth during menstruation and also wash our hands with soap
after changing the pad or cloth.

We can now see positive

changes in the mindset of
women and adolescent girls in
our community. They have
become more conscious about
maintaining personal hygiene
during their menstruation and
dont consider the menstrual
blood to be impure anymore.

The disposal of garbage is not

done on a regular basis which is
a major challenge for us as the
slum continues to be filthy.

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Five: I Broke Age-Old Customs and Superstition for the Better

My name is Shilpa (name changed). I live in Chandan village situated in Lucknow. My

village is surrounded by farms on all sides. I have a small family that worships regularly
and gives a lot of emphasis to old customs and traditional rituals. During her
menstruation, my mother avoids watering the tulsi (basil, a plant considered holy in
Hinduism) and asks us to water the plant instead.

One year back, the implementation of Project TARANG started in our village under
which Shabnam Didi (TARANG field facilitator) started conducting bi-monthly meetings
with us. My sister and I regularly used to attend the meetings. After a few days, when
my brother found out about these meetings, he prohibited us from attending. After this,
Shabnam Didi visited our house with other girls from the group and said that she will
conduct the meeting at our house itself. I was unable to say anything to her. She sat in
the courtyard and started discussing the effects of gender-based discrimination on the
lives of adolescent boys and girls. Although we sat through the meeting we were
constantly afraid of our brothers reaction to this meeting. My brother also listened to
the discussion being conducted during the meeting. He got so influenced by it that he
joined us in the discussion and started talking about gender-based discrimination, which
was quite unbelievable for us. He then never stopped us from attending the meetings.

One day, while discussing menstruation during the meeting, we learned that period
blood is not dirty and impure and that menstruation is a natural bodily function. We can
lead a normal life during menstruation and perform all routine activities such as
worshipping, eating, bathing, and travelling. I also learned that we can water tulsi and
worship during menstruation. I had heard from people that the tulsi plant dies if you
touch it during your menstruation. When I got my period, I touched the tulsi plant on
the first day to find out whether it actually dies or not. I was really scared as I did not
want the plant to die. The following day, I got up in the morning to check the condition
of the plant and was relieved to see that the plant was still green and healthy. Similarly, I
continued touching and watering the tulsi plant for the next three days and the plant
still remained green and healthy.

Now, I have understood that these are myths and superstitions. Now, I worship and
water the tulsi plant without any fear, even during my menstruation. I shared my
experiences with the other girls of my group as well, as a result of which, two or three
girls in my group have also started worshipping during their menstruation.

Although its too soon to expect a community-level change, a lot of girls in my group
and I have experienced changes, on a personal level. We want all the adolescent girls
and women to have the right to perform their work independently even during their
menstruation.

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Six: We Dont Face Humiliation Anymore

My name is Anjani (name changed) I am 18 years old and am a student of class XII. I
have five members in my family. My father is a driver and my mother works in a school
as a helper. Although my mother is uneducated herself, she works hard to educate me
and my three sisters. I work as a tailor to support my family. I have been part of project
TARANG for the last year and attend all the meetings regularly. Earlier during our
menstruation we used to dispose the pads in a vacant plot which is close to our house
as there was no designated place for its disposal. Due to its improper disposal, the pad
would subsequently rot and stink due to which the surrounding area would start
smelling foul. Every time the owner visited the plot, on finding it dirty, he would abuse
and scream at everyone. However, we would listen to it silently as we were helpless and
had nowhere else to dispose the pads.

When project TARANG was implemented in our community, we were given orientation
about Menstrual Hygiene Management followed by a 3-day intensive residential
capacity building workshop on the issue. It was during the training that I learned that we
can dispose the pad used during menstruation by burning it, burying it in the ground or
throwing it in the dustbin. I had heard from elders around me that burning the pad
used during menstruation leads to infertility and the girl stops menstruating, however, in
this capacity building session I found out that this was a myth and that nothing of this
sort happens.

I decided that from then on I will never throw the pad used during menstruation at
undesignated places and be subject to humiliation, and instead would dispose of it
properly by burning it.

When I next got my period, I brought an earthen pot to dispose the pads and
subsequently burnt them all. At first, my mother and sister got angry but after I
explained to them why it was the right thing to do, they understood. Now, even they
dispose the used pad the same way.

I am happy that I no longer believe and follow the orthodox traditions and customs.
Now, Im not subject to abuses and humiliation from the owner of the nearby plot and
the area around my house isnt unclean.

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Seven: I Worshipped During my Menstruation

I reside in an urban slum of Indira Nagar, Lucknow. My name is Rubina (name changed)
and I am 17 years old. I have been part of project TARANG for the last year and regularly
attend all the meetings.

Before getting associated with project TARANG, I used to offer Namaz (prayers offered
by followers of Islam) every day like all other family members. However me and my
mother would refrain from worshipping during our menstruation. Although we never
faced any problem this was due to prevalance of orthodox and superstitious practices.
After I got associated to project TARANG, I received information on a variety of issues
including menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene Management, from which I learned that
menstrual blood is not impure. I had heard that menstrual blood is dirty and impure and
if I observed Roza (fast observed during the holy month of Ramzan in Muslims) or
offered Namaz, it will be wrong.

After receiving detailed information on menstruation, I decided to observe Roza while I

was on my period to see what happened. My maternal aunt was visiting us at that time
and both my mother and my aunt advised me against observing fast and offering
Namaz during my menstruation. However, I did not budge and asked them if they knew
the rationale behind these practices.

In olden days, women were required to do a lot of manual labour at home and in the
fields. Therefore, women were told to refrain from working during their menstruation so
that they can take rest. However, over time, people started practicing this tradition
without understanding the rationale behind it and regarded menstrual blood as impure
and dirty. Women were kept in isolation and abstained from performing routine
activities and participating in religious and cultural events.

When I refused to budge, my mother and aunt told me to do as I wish and I observed
the fast during my menstruation. Nothing wrong happened to me or my family due to
this action of mine. In fact, things changed for the better and our belief in these
superstitious activities reduced.

My friends were surprised when I shared my story with

them during the TARANG bi-monthly meeting. However,
they understood that I was right when we discussed the
issue at length and I shared the rationale behind my
actions. My mother and I understand that only when
someone explains and discusses these issues with us do we
understand the logic behind it. If we really want to change
our society, we need to first bring a change in the mindset
of the elders around us, which is huge challenge by itself.

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Eight: I Bathe Even During My Menstruation

My name is Kanchan (name changed) and I am a resident of Naugarh block in district

Chandauli. I am 18 years old and am currently pursuing my Bachelors of Arts. My
parents work as labourers.

Before the launch of project TARANG, the adolescent girls of our village did not have
any knowledge on how to maintain hygiene during menstruation. There were many false
notions and superstitions around menstruation in my village. Menstruation was
considered to be a dirty and polluting process and a lot of restrictions were imposed on
girls during their menstruation such as being told to refrain from touching pickles,
entering the kitchen, worshipping, going out of the house, talking to boys and sitting
with the family during mealtimes. Girls were even told not to bathe saying their stomach
would hurt more, the menstruation cycle would get disrupted and the water would get
inside their uterus. My mother was also very particular about these things. She would
keep a watch on us during our menstruation, so that we didnt go out or touch anything
that could go bad. In a way, we did not get any support during our menstruation. We
thought that it would be better had we not started menstruating because of the rules.

Menstrual Hygiene Management was being discussed

in the TARANG group meeting that I attended. I also
had the opportunity to share my problems in the
meeting. I said that my mother thinks that
menstruation is a dirty process and that girls should
stay away from others while they are menstruating.
After hearing this, Didi (TARANG field facilitator) told
me that menstruation is a natural bodily function and
not a dirty process.

After I came back from the meeting, I shared these things with my mother. I told my
mother that bathing during these days is important to maintain hygiene and that we can
perform all other tasks as well such as touching pickles, worshipping, cooking and going
to school.

Thus, after joining project TARANG and attending the bi-monthly meetings regularly, I
received a lot of information about Menstrual Hygiene Management and I started
having these discussions at home also.

I have experienced a lot of changes in my life. I now bathe every day during my
menstruation, maintain proper hygiene, change the cloth 3-4 times in a day, perform
household chores and take rest from time to time. My mother also supports me now.

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Nine: I Learned to Make Pads at Home

My name is Babita (name changed). I am 16 years old and am a student of standard 11. I
am a resident of block Bar, district Lalitpur. I come from a family of farmers.

Before joining project TARANG, I used pads made up of old terrycloth due to which I
suffered many problems such as infections and itching around my vaginal area.

After I got associated to project TARANG In one of the meetings, didi (TARANG field
facilitator) told me that we should only use cotton cloth during our menstruation as it is
soft and absorbs the blood easily. After hearing this, I told her that all this time I have
been using terrycloth and I suffer infection and itching around my vaginal area. Didi
explained to me that terrycloth is rough, harsh on the skin and doesnt absorb blood
easily, hence, one should not use it as a pad.

During my menstruation the next time, I followed Didis advice and used the cotton
cloth instead, which I had washed and dried beforehand. Due to this, I did not have to
suffer any infection or itching on my skin. I now use home-made pads made up of
cotton during my menstruation. I also suggested that other women in my family such
as my sister-in-law use home-made cotton pads, which they have done.

Additionally, Mausama Didi also told us of various methods to dispose the used
cloth/pad by using an earthen pot or digging a pit in the ground. I now use an earthen
pot with holes on its sides to dispose the use pad/cloth. Due to this, my surroundings
remain clean and I dont have to worry about the disposal of the used cloth anymore.

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Ten: Im Not Afraid of Menstruation Anymore

My name is Ranjana (name changed) and I am 15 years old. I am a resident of district

Nainital in Uttarakhand. I come from a family of farmers. My elder sister shares
everything with me. Although my sister had told me about menstruation, I still had my
doubts and fears about it. Every time my sister had her menstruation, she would cry out
of pain and she sometimes even fainted. Our family thought this was because of some
evil influence and imposed restrictions on her. Due to this, I used to pray and wish that
that I wouldnt start menstruation so that I dont have to face all these problems and
restrictions.

It was around this time that VIMARSH started forming a group of adolescent girls as a
part of project TARANG in out village. We were told about issues related to health and
rights including Menstrual Hygiene Management. One day I told didi (field facilitator)
about my elder sisters problem and requested her to include my sister in the group as
well. We received information about menstruation and food to be consumes around
that time during our group meetings. The TARANG field facilitator also spoke to my
mother about my sisters condition and encouraged her to get my sister checked in a
hospital.

When my mother took my sister to the hospital the doctor told them that my sister feels
dizzy because shes anemic. She prescribed medicines to my sister and told her to eat
healthy food. As per the doctors advice, my sister and all other family members took
very good care of her dietary intake and ensured that she ate healthy. Thus, gradually
my sister stopped feeling dizzy during her menstruation and subsequently even I got rid
of my fear related to menstruation. Hence, six months ago when I started menstruating,
I did not have to face any problem as I was well informed about the process.

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Eleven: Our School Provides Us with Sanitary Pads

My name is Kavita (name changed) and I am a student of standard 7. I am a resident of

block Rajgarh in district Mirzapur. My village is mostly inhabited by tribal people. My
parents work as laborers.

It is a practice in our village that when girls grow up, they start working with their
parents as laborers. People in my neighbourhood started saying the same about when I
grew up saying that I will earn 5 kilograms of ration by working as a labourer.

I did not like this at all and would refute it by saying that I would go to school and not
work as a labourer. After joining the girls group formed as a part of project TARANG, I
realized how important it is for a girl to get educated so I am pursuing my education.

In the last year, after getting associated with project TARANG, we have received a lot of
information regarding the physical and mental changes in our bodies. We have also
received information on menstruation such as why it occurs, how one should maintain
hygiene during menstruation and what kind of facilities should be made available to us
at school during menstruation.

Girls of standard 6 started getting sanitary pads at schools due to our efforts. Earlier
sanitary pads were distributed only to girls of standard 7 and 8 in my school while pads
were not provided to girls of standard 6. Around 6-7 of us went and spoke to the
teacher several times to provide us sanitary pads, however, she did not take any action.
Although she told us that she will look into it but she did not do anything about it.
Around 4-5 months went by like this.

One day when the pads were being

distributed, around 7-8 of us from standard
6th complained to the principal that pads
were not provided to us. Our teacher lost
her cool and started screaming at us asking
who told us that the pads were to be
provided to us as well. The principal then
scolded the teacher asking who told her
that the pads were not to be distributed to
us. He then told her to distribute the pads
to us. Since then we have started getting
sanitary pads from the school. We spoke to
the principal and got the got the toilet
unlocked, and a bucket and mug has also been placed in the toilet. Our principal also
got the toilet cleaned. Now, all the girls at school use the toilet.

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Twelve: We Now Understand the Importance of Toilet Facilities

My name is Sushma (name changed). I am 17 years old and am a student of standard

12. I am a resident of village Udaya, district Lalitpur. I come from a family of labourers. I
have been associated with the adolescent girls group as a part of project TARANG for
the last 3 years, where we were provided information about a variety of issues including
gender based discrimination, violence, mobility and girls education. Its only after
joining the adolescent girls group that I understood the importance of education and
now I have started attending the school regularly.

Information is provided to us on an ongoing basis about bodily changes at the time of

puberty and menstruation during our bimonthly group meetings. We also attended a 3-
day residential capacity building session in January 2017 where we were given detailed
information about Menstrual Hygiene Management including importance of functional
toilets having running water and dustbin. We were also told how to maintain personal
hygiene at the time of menstruation during our monthly meetings. We were told that we
should bathe regularly and keep our vaginal area clean to avoid infection and diseases.

We did not have a toilet in our house, so despite being conscious about maintaining
hygiene during menstruation, I could not do so myself. I meant to talk to the elders in
my family about getting a toilet and bathroom constructed in the house. Finally, one day
I mustered the courage to talk to my grandparents about the importance of toilets and
bathroom in the house, especially for the girls of the family. My grandparents did not
respond the first time I spoke to them about this. However, I did not give up and kept
talking to them from time to time. As a result, they understood and in May 2017, they
got a toilet constructed in the house and the bathroom is currently under construction.

I am very happy that I was able to get a toilet and bathroom constructed in my house.
Currently, I am in the process of motivating other girls of my group get toilet and
bathroom constructed in their homes.

19
Thirteen: I Learnt that Menstruation Will Not Stop if We Burn our Pads

My name is Sheela (name changed) and I am a resident of block Naugarh in district

Chanduali. I am 16 years old and am a student of standard 10. Both of my parents are
labourers.

I did not know anything about how to maintain hygiene and how to use cloth during
menstruation before joining project TARANG. Disposal of used cloth was also a major
challenge. We used to go in the dark after sunset to throw the pad or cloth in the fields
or near the pond. It was only after I started attending girls meetings as a part of project
TARANG that I learned that the cloth used during menstruation can also be burnt. When
I told this to my mother, she started scolding me asking if I go the meeting to talk about
these dirty things. Then I told my mother that we get information about our health and
problems related to menstruation during the meeting.

I also got the opportunity to attend the 3-day residential capacity

building session as a part of project TARANG, where I learned how
we can dispose used cloth easily by throwing it in an earthen pot
and burning it.

When I told my mother about the new disposal technique after

coming back from the training, my mother got really angry and told
me that menstruation ceases to occur if one burns the used cloth. I
then told my mother that the next time I get my menstruation, I will
burn the cloth and see whether I get my menstruation the following
month or not. The concerned field facilitator from the local NGO
implementing the project also helped me execute this experiment.
The following month when I got my menstruation despite having burnt the cloth the
previous month, I proved it to my mother that nothing adverse happened to my
menstrual cycle. My mother did not pay much attention to this initially however she
eventually understood and has not started supporting me in disposal of the pad using
an earthen pot.

I have experienced a lot of changes in my life after becoming part of project TARANG.
No more do I have to go to the fields at night to throw the used cloth. I dispose the
used cloth every month by burning it the earthen pot itself and only use a clean cotton
cloth during my menstruation. No restrictions are imposed on me anymore. My mother
doesnt believe in superstitions related to menstruation anymore and has become more
supportive.

We have also experienced a lot of changes at the group level. Other members of the
group also dispose the cloth by burning it in an earthen pot and do not discriminate
against each other during menstruation.

20
Fourteen: My Mother Now Goes Against Superstition

My name is Kusum (name changed) and I am 17 years old. I am a student of standard

12. I come from an agricultural family and have been associated to the project for the
last 3 years.

Earlier my family used to practice untouchability during menstruation. The girls were
prohibited from touching pickles, poppadoms and going to the temple. Initially, I felt
agitated as I did not like when these restrictions were imposed on me but gradually I
got used to it.

One day one of my friends shared her experiences from the adolescent group meeting.
The discussion was based on menstruation. She said that Didi (TARANG facilitator) could
explain very nicely on this issue. She explained to us that menstruation is not bad, this is
an essential and natural part of our body. I also accompanied my friend to the group
meeting the next time, where, after
listening to the group discussion, I
asked didi if we could touch pickles
and poppadoms during our
menstruation. She told me that we
could touch anything. I thought to
myself of doing this the next time I get
my menstruation and observing what
happens. I told everything to my
mother after coming back from the
meeting but she scolded me.

The next time I got my menstruation; I

secretly watered the plants and
touched the pickles as well. The next
day I told my mother that I had
touched the plant and pickles despite being on my period but the plant was still alive
and even the pickle hadnt gone bad. My mother immediately checked the plant and the
pickle and found what I said to be true.

For that day onwards, my mother stopped believing in these superstitions related to
menstruation. I feel happy that I was able to bring about a change within myself and my
mother. My friends and others from the TARANG girls group are doing the same.
Although a lot has been done at a personal and family level, a lot still needs to be done
at the level of the society.

21
Fifteen: I Fought Superstitions (and the People who Believe them) and Won

My name is Anita (name changed) and I am 19 years old. I am a resident of block Dhari,
district Nainital. Currently, I am pursuing my Bachelors of Arts (B.A.).

Earlier my family was very superstitious with regards to menstruation. My grandmother

would restrict me from going to the temple, participating in auspicious events,
consuming hot food and dairy products. My mother and paternal aunts were all made
to stay in the cattle-shed during their menstruation. They were neither allowed to wear
woolen clothes, nor were they given a proper bed to sleep, despite the cold. They used
to sleep on the rug. I used to wonder why this happens with them as I did not like it at
all and used to fear this might happen to me too.

I have been associated with project TARANG for the last 3 years. After joining this
project, I learned a lot about gender based discrimination and girls health. Didi
(TARANG field facilitator), who has been conducting sessions at our school since last
year, told us about menstruation and why it occurs. I also attended a 4-day residential
capacity building workshop as a part of project TARANG, where I received in-depth
information about menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene Management. I got a dustbin
installed in my house immediately after coming back from the workshop. Although my
mother understood the rationale behind why I did this, my grandmother had her
reservations and did not agree with me. She got angry at me thinking Im learned all the
wrong things from the workshop.

My brother got married in April 2017 after which my sister-in-law also started staying
with us. When she got her menstruation, my grandmother told her to move to the
cattle-shed, which I did not like at all. I brought her back to the house. My grandmother
was furious with me for doing this. However, I asked her if children are not considered
dirty, how menstruation can be considered dirty as children are born only when women
menstruate. My family members didnt stay much at that time. However, this discussion
continued in the house for the next few days. I had also resolved not to give up. I also
tried explaining to my brother that menstruation is a natural bodily function, therefore,
all these customs are based on superstitions. A woman should not be discriminated
against during her
menstruation; she needs proper
rest and nutrition instead during
that time.

The next time, my sister-in-law

got her menstruation, my
brother did not make her stay in
the cattle-shed, rather he let her
stay in the house and gave her
all dairy products such as- milk
and curd. Subsequently, my
22
grand-mother and mother also realized that its not a bad omen and its fine for a
woman to stay in the house during her period. They have now understood that it was
not wrong on my part to fight against this superstition.

Nobody has to face discrimination in my house anymore during their menstruation. My

brother also helps my sister-in-law with the household chores during her menstruation.

23
Sixteen: I No Longer Hide at Home While Menstruating

My name is Meena (name changed) and I am 14 years old. I am a resident of block

Mehrauni in district Lalitpur. I am a student of standard 9. My parents are farmers.

Earlier I did not know anything about the changes that take place in the body when a
child hits puberty. Therefore, when I hit puberty and experienced changes in my body
such as growth of breasts and pubic hair, I did not feel good about myself. I got scared
when I hit menarche and thought to myself where is this blood coming from? I told my
bhabhi (brothers wife) what had happened. She took me to a room, gave me cloth to
use and advised me not to go outside anywhere for the next 4-5 days. I used to follow
the same routine every month during my menstruation. I used to feel suffocated and
used to wonder why all this is happening with me. I used to hide indoors every month
during my menstruation.

One day my friend told me about the girls group meeting that was being conducted as
a part of project TARANG, where didi (field facilitator) was telling the girls about
menstruation. In the meeting, didi told us about bodily changes at the time of puberty
including menstruation using charts and pictures. I felt very nice after attending that
session. Thereafter, I started attending the meetings regularly due to which I gradually
developed a good understanding of menstruation.

When my menstruation occurred the nest month, I felt happy instead of getting worried
like old times. I used a clean cotton cloth during my menstruation and then I washed
and sun-dried it for reuse. For the last three months, I have even started burning the
used cloth for disposal. I shared this information with my sister-in-law and other girls of
my group

I dont feel tense anymore, nor do I hide inside my house during menstruation.
However, some people still say that a woman is impure and untouchable during her
menstruation. A woman even told us not to go to the temple during our menstruation,
which I did not like. I think the false beliefs of such people should be challenged and
proper information about Menstrual Hygiene Management should be provided to them
so that they understand that menstruation is a natural bodily function and that women
are not impure or
untouchable around that
time.

24
Seventeen: Adolescent Girls Overcoming Challenges Breaking Silence

Lalitpur (Uttar Pradesh): I am a girl from a small village in district Lalitpur. Earlier I
used to feel uncomfortable and conscious during my menstruation as I was restricted
from drying my menstrual cloth under the sun. I was also not allowed to dry her
undergarments under the sun after washing.

However, after I joined project TARANG, I understood that just like all other clothes, one
should dry ones undergarments and menstrual clothes also under the sun. I used to dry
all my clothes in the shade out of fear and hesitation as elders in the family said that the
undergarments should be hidden under other clothes and the cloth used during
menstruation should
be dried inside under
the shade so that no
one is able to see it.
However, after
attending the group
meetings I decided to
do what I had learned
as I could contact
various infections and
diseases by drying the
cloth in the shade.

Now, regardless of what other people say, I dry my undergarments and menstrual cloth
in the sun. I used to feel a little shy and hesitant initially but now I dont feel that way
anymore.

Lalitpur (Uttar Pradesh) My name is Neelam (name changed). I am 16 years old and
currently studying in Class 10. I am a resident of block Mehrauni in district Lalitpur.

Earlier I would use the same pad for the entire day during menstruation and there was
no one to guide me. Due to this, I contacted infection often and sometimes it would
even hamper my movement. However, I used to think that it happens with everyone
therefore didnt share my problem with anyone. I had a fear of getting scolded on
asking about menstruation and that people would think that Im a bad girl. One day, my
friend told me about the discussion that had happened in the girls group meeting as a
part of project TARANG. They had a discussion about Menstrual Hygiene Management
where they were told that one should change the cloth or pad 3-4 times in a day and
once before sleeping. I told my friend that I was suffering from infection around my
vaginal area and asked what I should do about it. She advised me to attend TARANG
group meeting and share my problem with the field facilitator, who would guide me on
how to deal with it. Initially, I was feeling hesitant in sharing my problem with the
TARNAG field facilitator but then I shared it with her later on. She advised me to change
the cloth pad 3-4 times a day during menstruation and keep my vaginal area clean. I
25
followed her advice the next time I got my menstruation. As a result of that, I got a lot of
relief and did not contract any infection.

Nainital (Uttrakhand): My name is Ishani (name changed). Nainital city is about 12

kilometers away from my village. I got associated with the adolescent girls group, a part
of project TARANG, 3 years ago. My family used to discriminate between girls and boys.

After graduating from standard 12th earlier this year, I wanted to pursue a computer
course from Nainital. However, my family wasnt in favour of my decision. My father was
of the opinion that girls should not go so far away from home every day. I wondered
how to convince my parents.

When I couldnt think of anything, other members of my TARANG girls group came and
talked to my parents. Although my mother agreed, my father did not agree at all and
got really angry. However, I did not give up and continued talking to my father on a
daily basis, trying to convince him. As a result of continuous dialogue between my
father, my group members, and I,
my father finally agreed and I joined
the computer course in Nainital. I
succeeded in convincing my father
due to the help and undying efforts
of my TARANG group members.

Other girls in my neighbourhood

also got permission from their
families to attend the computer
course. Currently, 5 girls from my
village go to Nainital on their own
to attend the computer class. Our
families also trust us completely.

Nainital (Uttarakhand) I am 16 years old and am a student of standard 11th. I stay in a

small village in block Betalghat, district Nainital. My village is located 10 kilometers uphill
from the main road.

Girls were ill-treated and subject to bad behaviour in our school. The principal and
teachers would consume alcohol and come to school and would sometimes even abuse
the students verbally. Our physical training teacher would make us dance even during
our menstruation due to which we used to feel both embarrassed and angry. Teachers
would often take leaves and classes were not conducted properly.

Girls were too scared to talk about it at home as they feared that they might be failed in
the exams if this matter escalated and the parents went to the school to complain. In one
of our TARANG group meetings, I mustered all my courage and told this to didi
(TARANG field facilitator) who then reported the problem to the local NGO. She also
informed our parents, the Panchayat and the School Monitoring Committee. Thereafter,
26
the education department, parents and the concerned local NGO met at the school and
conducted a discussion on the issue. The local NGO also informed the District Magistrate
and District Education Officer about the issue. After this, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate
visited our school. Then the teachers concerned were transferred to some other school
and new teachers were appointed to our school. Now, nobody misbehaves with us in
schools and our classes are also conducted regularly. Our parents and SMC members
have also become more vigilant and visit the school on a regular basis.

Chandauli (Uttar Pradesh) My name is Vandana (name changed).I am a resident of

block Naugarh in district Chandauli and am a student of class 8. We have separate toilets
for girls and boys in our school. However, those toilets are not usable. Although the
physical infrastructure is there in place, there is no provision for water and dustbin.

Earlier girls did not come to school for 4-5 days every month during their menstruation.
After having a discussion on menstruation with Didi (field facilitator) during our girls
group meetings as a part of project TARANG, we spoke to our Principal about it. Initially,
our principal and male teachers did not talk
to us about menstruation, saying it was a
womens issue. However, we still told them
about the problems we face in the absence
of a proper functional toilet, during our
menstruation. When we put forth our
demand of a clean functional toilet with
water and dustbin before our principal, he
understood that menstruation and MHM is
not only a womens issue; instead it is an
issue that needs serious consideration from everyone. After a continuous dialogue with
them on a prolonged basis, our principal understood that girls are often forced to miss
school during their menstruation that adversely affects their studies.

TARANG that led to ongoing discussions with teachers and principals on Menstrual
Hygiene Management, our Principal has finally got an earthen pot installed in our school
for disposal of used sanitary pads or cloths.

This did not happen easily. We had to face a lot of hardships. However, we did not give
up.

27
Eighteen: Project TARANG- Resource Material

28
29
30
Nineteen: Project TARANG- Making News Headlines

31
Due to girls groups meetings with the help of the local NGO as a part of project 32