Training 130 women youth health leaders in Gujarat

For the months of November and December, AWAG undertook health and sanitation awareness workshops in the following 12 villages of Radhanpur district, Gujarat, India. A total of 466 adolescent girls attended the workshop in the below mentioned villages -

Name of the village                                                              Number of girls attended per village

1) Cherganj                                                                                29

2) Dharvadi                                                                                54

3) Bhadiya                                                                                 43

4) Kamalpur                                                                               46

5) Badalpura                                                                              41

6) Nanapura                                                                               21

7) Jetalpura                                                                               28

8) Dev                                                                                       31

9) Palali                                                                                     30

10) Bilot                                                                                     45

11) Gotarka                                                                                48

12) Nalanda                                                                                50

Key objectives of the workshop

• Women health, women reproductive system, monthly menstruation cycle
• Importance of hygiene
• Use and disposal of sanitary towels 

In the workshops, the team members of AWAG gave a brief orientation about the organisation followed by awareness about domestic violence and primary activities that AWAG is involved into. Thereafter, the main focus of the workshops were on awareness about menstrual health and hygiene. The team explained about the side effects of not maintaining appropriate hygiene during menstruation, convincing the tribal girls to use panties and sanitary towels. AWAG staff  spoke about myths surrounding menstruation, helping them ventilate their worries about diseases associated with it and tried to bring them out from the blind faith and traditions that women in Indian villages are accustomed to, since many years in relation to menstrual health. 

Comments from girls who attended the workshops:

• Young girls mentioned that they are shy to talk about menstruation to anyone at home and school. They cannot open up when this topic is mentioned and they hesitate to do so.
• Girls in the village do not study after seventh standard, once they start menstruating. They mention that the teachers are quite insensitive towards their problem
• Girls believe in the old-school concepts of untouchability. During menstruation, they do not worship or attend religious proceedings
• Girls were surprised to learn that day by day in most of the villages several women are sufferring from skin, breast and cervical cancer mainly because of lack of hygiene
• They mentioned that sanitary towels available in the market are quite expensive. They cannot afford to buy them

Disha, a supposed 9th grader was one of participant in the workshop. She voiced her concern about not being able to go to school since menstruation caused her severe pain, itchiness and ruined her good clothes. She added that her teachers were male and could not understand this kind of issue and therefore dropped out of school . AWAG staff questioned about what she uses as sanitary pad and learnt that she normally used nylon pads stiched from her mothers old clothes. Trainers advocated her to use sanitary pads but affordability was an issue for  her. Staff convinced her to atleast use cotton pads till she could afford a low cost disposable pad. Further, AWAG staff spoke to the principle of the school and urged him to readmit disha to school. The school principle was impressed with the kind of workshops we were doing and asked us to conduct one at his school as well. We will be conducting a workshop for his school soon. As you finish reading our first report, you would be happy to know that disha has started to go to school again and is in 9th grade now attending her classes regularly!

Links:

• http://awagindia.org/