The Period Poverty Campaign in Northern India
I recently returned from Northern India where my family runs ‘Project Help India’. We educate over 350 children and run various other community projects. Project Help India has been operating for 10 years and this is something that I am very passionate about.
Our SHINE Women’s Empowerment Conference is just one of the various things that we do.
Fighting ‘Period Poverty’ is another aspect of our work to support and care for women, especially the Dalits who live in the slums.
While in India, I had the privilege to sit with some of the teachers at Project Help and talk about some of the effects of Period Poverty. I got so excited by the end of the conversation, as you may have noticed because I realised that it only would cost $17 AUD a year to sponsor a person for a year’s worth of pads.
Period Poverty is a global issue, and we can all make a difference. Find out how here.
What is Period Poverty?
Period Poverty refers to when menstrual products cannot be accessed due to financial constraints. However, stigma, lack of education like myths and misinformation, hygiene and therefore running water, managing waste disposal may also play a part. This can cause social, economic, physiological hardship, discrimination and shame, stigma and taboo.
It also means that children and young girls may leave school and therefore it can affect their future and that of their families. Period Poverty is happening all over the world and not just in very poor communities.
Our goal is to raise $7500 Australian Dollars
Project Help is a registered Indian NGO and donations are tax deductible in Australia. I am excited because I have a plan and need your help.
Next year at our SHINE Conference, I am hoping to sponsor 700 women for the next 5 years. Most of the women are ‘Dalits’ from the slums, and they earn less than $2 AUD a day (if anything). They simply cannot afford pads or personal hygiene products.
So, we can help pay for 5 years of supplies. The cost would be $100AUD (which is approximately $63 USD or 5191 rupees). For this amount, girls will receive a period starter pack, which will include some pads, information about menstruation and a book in Hindi from ‘Menstrupedia’ about periods, along with 2 packets of menstrual pads that will be distributed each month.
More helpful information about periods
Find out about some other books about periods here.
Also, here are some other blogs you can read about periods:
How do you know that periods are on their way?
