By Anshu Gupta | Founder Director
Almost a decade back when we started work on this issue, we never knew that this tiny piece of cloth could create ripples over so many minds.. But we now realise that each one of us has at least one untold story hidden in our hearts.. This is what Goonj is trying to do with its global campaign ‘NJPC- A Million Voices’. To get people to share these untold stories of shame and silence that they haven’t spoken about to anyone.. And a trail of these stories are emerging from across the world, connecting us back to the taboos and myths that exist in the society even today.. We know that these are equally distributing for the poor and the rich, for the illiterate and the educated.. Our aim is to get people to talk about this basic and make it a normal thing.. We are happy to share that voices are growing every day.. Recently Gaon Connection, a newspaper for rural India, shared the 'NJPC - A Million Voices' form with its readers, to fill up and send back to Goonj.
Some voices broke their silence and raised genuine concerns..
“When I was a child I remember disposing used cloth (after using multiple times) or sanitary pads was a huge problem. We used to throw it in garbage but the person who used to come to collect garbage shouted at us for throwing pads….. Later on we started throwing it near the railway tracks by ensuring that no one is watching us. But even doing that was difficult. Later on we used to accumulate it and my mom used to periodically burn it. But again, that would create lot of smoke and neighbors would inquire not knowing what we are burning.”
“A girl in my school got her period and her dress was spoiled. The teachers made it into a huge issue. And guys were staring like anything- even the girls were too. She got so embarrassed that she left the school.”
Add your voice to the Million Voices who want to break the shame and silence around menstruation. Click on this link to share your thoughts, experiences..- http://njpc.goonj.org/lets-get-started/
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