Resilient Communities Through Mindful Practices

Project Report: Yoga Trainings for Abused Women and Girls and Menstrual Health Awareness Campaign

Introduction:

This project aimed to provide Yoga classes and trainings to abused women and girls and conduct a menstrual health awareness campaign from December 2022 to March 2023. The project was implemented by Child’s Pose Yoga Project Philippines, Inc. The purpose of the project was to improve the physical and mental health of abused women and girls and create awareness about menstrual health among adolescent girls.

Project Objectives:

1. To provide yoga classes and trainings to abused women and girls to improve their physical and mental health and prepare them for future course certification as mindfulness teachers and activity coaches.
2. To create awareness about menstrual health among adolescent girls and provide them with access to menstrual hygiene products.
3. To empower women and girls to lead a healthy and fulfilling life, cultivate an independent and engaged culture among disadvantaged communities and for community leaders to make an impact in their  respective communities.

Project Activities:

1. Identification of beneficiaries: The first step was identifying the women and girls who were abused and required the support of the project. The women and girls in three shelters: Marillac Hills National Center for Women, Haven for Women and Mangyan Village, were the beneficiaries of the project.
2. Yoga Classes and Trainings: Yoga classes and trainings were conducted for the identified beneficiaries. The yoga classes were conducted once a week, and each session was for two hours. The yoga classes included Trauma Sensitive Yoga and various mindfulness based exercises that helped the women and girls explore and understand their mind, body, and breath. 
3. Menstrual Health Awareness Campaign: A menstrual health awareness campaign was also conducted to create awareness among adolescent girls about menstrual health. The campaign included workshops and distribution of menstrual hygiene products in collaboration with I Support The Girls Manila.
4. Counseling Sessions: Counseling sessions were organized for the beneficiaries to help them deal with the trauma of abuse and improve their mental health. 
5. Monitoring and Evaluation: The progress of the project was monitored regularly to ensure that the activities were being implemented as planned. An evaluation was conducted at the end of the project to assess its impact on the beneficiaries.

Results:

The project was successful in achieving its objectives. The beneficiaries reported improved physical and mental health after attending regular yoga classes and trainings. The menstrual health awareness campaign was also successful in creating awareness among adolescent girls about menstrual health, and they were provided with access to menstrual hygiene products. The counseling sessions helped the beneficiaries to deal with their trauma and improve their mental health.

Conclusion:

The project was successful in providing support to abused women and girls and creating awareness about menstrual health among adolescent girls. The project helped to empower women and girls to lead a healthy and fulfilling life, and lead their respective communities by preparing themselves for future courses and training that will certify them to teach mindfulness activities in their communities. The success of the project can be attributed to the hardwork and dedication of the team and community beneficiaries. The project will be conducted regularly to continue to provide support to cultivate a mindful and independent culture among disadvantaged beneficiaries.

Links:

• Abused and At-risk Girls
• Abused Women- Trauma Sensitive Yoga
• Yoga Training at Marillac Hills