Community based training on homemade sanitary pad making

Prepared by: Ms. Punam Chauguthi, Member, Paschim Paaila Batch III

Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is major concern for marginalized group of girls/women who usually have to suffer physically, socially and emotionally such as missing out schools, reproductive health problems, and restrictions in houses/temples. However with better MHM knowledge, resources and practice, these issues can get lower significantly. Thus, Paschim Paaila in collaboration with Madhe Nepal Municipality, Suryapal Ward-3, Lamjung, organized community based MHM and homemade sanitary pad making training on 2^nd - 6^th March, 2020 to Dalit Women Group in Lamjung. The program was organized to aware women group on menstrual hygiene management and to train them on homemade sanitary pad making with an ultimate expectation to have commercialization of homemade sanitary pads to support girls/women for better MHM resources and to support local community for economic improvement.

The community based five days training focused on information sharing on Menstrual Hygiene Management and Sanitary pad (Sanghi) making, theoretically and practically. Apart from engaging participants in making of homemade sanitary pad, the sessions of training was made interactive and participatory with sharing of personal experience and cultural practice sharing regarding menstruation and menstrual health, misconception on menstruation, story-telling and demonstration of handwashing.

Altogether 16 women from Dalit Women Group of the municipality participated in the program. The training was facilitated by Paaila Punam Chauguthi, Paaila Sagar Gosai and Ms. Saraswoti Basnet. Paaila Punam Chauguthi and Paaila Sagar Gosai are members of Paschim Paaila Batch III and Ms. Saraswoti Basnet is trainer from Bansighat Community, Kathmandu who attended the training on MHM and Homemade Sanitary Pad Making organized by Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO).

Ms. Anjali B.K., one of the participants said “This five days training was very effective especially to the women of village who are always backward in any activities. By this training, we got knowledge on menstruation process, menstrual health, homemade sanitary pad making and additionally, processes of water purification at household level and importance of proper/safe sanitation.”