Menstrual Hygiene Management in schools of Nepal

ECCA provided training on menstruation hygiene management to the local women group members in Bhirkot village, Dolakha district. They were also taught how to make reusable washable sanitary pads.

Ms. Laxmi, member of Parents Teachers Association of Narayani Secondary School, Bhirkot expresses her views as follows:

“Using cotton clothes during menstruation was a common practice in our community in the past. The menstruation hygiene management training revolutionized the community’s thinking as it taught us how washable sanitary pads could be easily made through the utilization of local resources. After being trained, we organized a sanitary pad making training for other members of women group. They also planned to supply homemade washable sanitary pad to schools nearby.”

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During menstruation it is essential that hygienic sanitary napkins are used and properly disposed. In rural regions of Nepal, industrial produced sanitary napkins are not easily available; and even if available, it is expensive and many times, not affordable (as it has to be regularly purchased).

In rural areas, girls and women normally use sanitary napkins they themselves make at home from old torn clothes, which may not be hygienic many times. Because of unhygienic condition, girls/women suffer from diseases many times.

To address such situation, ECCA has trained (and supported) women to make re-usable washable sanitary napkins, which can be used for more than a year. The use of such sanitary napkin becomes cheap for the girls/women, since one time investment of buying it is enough for more than a year.

These sanitary napkins are then provided to the school girls, female teachers and adjoining community, thereby improving health and class attendance of girl students.

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