Menstrual Hygiene Kits for 1300 orphan girls,India

Sanitation & hygiene are the first line of defence against COVID-19. It’s widely recognised that access to soaps for hand wash, sanitizers & masks is a critical need that must be met in our response to the pandemic, however there are other essential aspects of hygiene that should not be forgotten at this time.

On any single day during this health emergency, women and girls in millions are menstruating and struggling with the unique challenges of doing so in a global pandemic.

Periods don’t stop during a pandemic and as some places emerge from the peak of the pandemic and restrictions on movement begin to ease, the challenge for millions of girls who menstruate continues.

As global supply chains are disrupted and smaller scale private sector enterprises cease trading, deliveries of goods has slowed, particularly in remote areas. Shops and markets remain closed and restrictions on movement due to lockdowns have made sourcing goods more challenging. When sanitary products are hard to obtain, girls may be forced to resort to using unhygienic alternatives that can increase their risk of reproductive and urinary tract infections.

Where people are struggling with groceries & other basic supplies during the pandemic in general households or even the Child Care Institutions (CCIs), menstrual hygiene is of least priority.

Our key focus area during the pandemic was to meet the hygiene & sanitation requirements of the child care homes that we work with along with day to day essential supplies. We were able to provide 550+ girls with supplies of sanitary napkins in Maharashtra, Goa, Odisha & Madhya Pradesh.  

 While it is important to provide essential hygiene material such as hand wash, hand sanitizers and masks to ensure safety, somewhere down the line, we should also focus on menstrual hygiene requirements and provide the best so that young girls at CCIs are assured of menstrual hygiene support during an otherwise extremely challenging time.