Around the world many girls living in poverty dread their period. Without sanitary products, they miss school. In countries like Nepal where period stigma is prevalent, they may also be expected to follow traditions which put their health and self-esteem at risk.
With your help, we can create long-lasting change to defend the rights of girls. Here are 5 innovative ways your support can help end period poverty in Nepal:
1) Homemade sanitary products
Every month girls miss school because they cannot afford or access sanitary products. If they resort to using cloth which is not sanitary, they could contract an infection. To help girls stay healthy and in school, VSO volunteers are trained to make reusable sanitary products using materials they have at home. They then share their knowledge with other women and girls. So far we have reached over 2,000 women and girls and with help from supporters like you we will reach many more.
2) Door-to-door campaign
Period stigma is deeply rooted in some parts of society in Nepal. Menstruating girls can be forbidden to touch communal objects or step into direct sunlight. Home visits funded by generous supporters are an opportunity for VSO volunteers to speak to parents openly and directly, breaking taboos and explaining how following traditional practice and missing school could mean their daughter missing out on a bright future.
3) Theatre performances
Girls who face period stigma can be made to feel isolated inside their own home and it can lead to low self-esteem. Interactive theatre performances and workshops, run by VSO, give girls the confidence they need to find their voice, advocate for their menstrual health and rights, access services and take control of their lives. Help girls find their voice today.
4) Sanitary towel dispensers in school
VSO have made sanitary products available in school so girls can quickly, affordably, and independently get sanitary pads when they need them. It’s a symbol which means far more than simply the installation of a vending machine. It is a school, a community and a municipality pledging to stand up against discrimination. Look closely at the next photo and you’ll see the message on the front, ‘Empowering women,’ if you believe in this message, please show your support by donating today.
5) Hygiene kits
COVID-19 has made hygiene products harder to access, especially for girls living in poverty in rural communities. In 2020, VSO supplied over 4,000 hygiene kits to girls across rural Nepal – especially in areas where menstrual stigma exists. These kits gave girls back their dignity and meant they could focus more on their studies. The kits included soap, chlorine wash, underwear, and a hygiene kit bag.
If you agree that no woman or girl should be held back because of her period then please help end period poverty by donating today.
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