Menstruation/Menses/Periods/Mahawari is a simple biological affair but a gigantic problem for about 90% of the women in our country. More so not because of the actual process but because of the mindset that portrays menstruation as something dirty. It happens to every healthy woman within the age bracket of 10 to 47 years for 4 to 7 days every month.

We have travelled from being a culture that celebrated the menstruating goddess (Kamakhya temple) to the scenario where menstruating women have to move out of the house. In certain ancient cultures the cycle was called Course of the moon thus linking it to something divine, something celestial. Now when you buy a pad it is handed over swathed in a black packet as if it is a contraband that should be hidden from everyone’s eyes. It is the biggest open secret. Even the earlier practices of secluding the menstruating women was out of consideration for them. They were given preferential treatment and sent to a aaram griha so that they could rest. So that they didn’t have to indulge in hard daily manual labour such as walking miles to get water or work for 10 hours in the field. It was exclusivity, not exclusion

It is a normal biological function, yet it has been made a mess due to lack of Information, Misinformation and reluctance to talk about it. Studies reveal that Only 12% of India’s 355 million menstruating women use sanitary napkins (SNs). One out of every 5 girls in India drops out of school at the onset of Menstruation. Over 88% of women resort to shocking alternatives like unsanitised cloth, ashes and husk sand. Incidents of Reproductive Tract Infection (RTI) are 70% more common among these women. Negligence in Menstrual Hygiene can lead to severe disease like cervical cancer.

Among the Various Projects, IRCS – Mumbai has now strengthened its focus on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues. One of the inhibition girls face today is the Poor Menstrual Hygiene. IRCS-Mumbai has undertaken the challenge to spread awareness on Menstrual Hygiene by Distributing Sanitary Napkins for Free to Underprivileged Girls and Organizing Talks on Menstrual Hygiene. IRCS – Mumbai’s main objective behind this project is to beat the stigma attached to the word “Menstruation”, Educate young girls about Feminine Education, improve School Attendance, uplift the Confidence, Self-Esteem and Creativity of young girls, Reduce Incidents of Reproductive Tract Infection.

IRCS – Mumbai is devoted to giving women the knowledge and support to understand the importance of Menstrual Hygiene. We have conducted talks, role plays and presentation to educate young girls on Menstrual Hygiene. So far, we have Distributed Approx. 5000 Sanitary Napkins to girls from Economic Weaker Section of the Society in Various Schools, Colleges and Slums of Mumbai. Each girl has been Provided with a Hamper of Sanitary Napkins consisting of 12 packets (each for One Month) having 14 Sanitary Napkins in each packet.

We strongly believe that health of a girl is the health of the society. A healthy mother would have healthy children. A country can be considered progressive only when it’s women are empowered in every manner.

S.No of Programs S.No of Schools participated Date School Venue of Program Total No. of Hampers Distributed(Each Hamper has 12 Packets of Sanitary Napkins)
1 1 27.2.2018 Sitaram Deora Institute of Management Studies 11 Krishna Kunj, Vaccha Gandhi road, Gamdevi, Grant Road, Mumbai – 400007 5
2 27.2.2018 B.M Ruia Mahila Mahavidyalaya 11 Krishna Kunj, Vaccha Gandhi road, Gamdevi, Grant Road, Mumbai – 400007 143
3 27.2.2018 J D Bharda High School Grant road, mumNavyug Mansion, 1 Floor, 65 Naushir Bharucha Marg, Grant Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400007 73
2 4 29.1.2018 Kavlemath Banganga Marathi School Dongarsi Road, Walkeshwar, Mumbai – 06 38
3 5 5.2.2018 Bai Ratnabai Pavri School Pawri School 13 Khetwadi, Grant Road, Mumbai – 400004 84
4 6 15.2.2018 Adivasi area inside National Park, Borivali East Rotary Education Centre, Inside National Park, Borivali East, Mumbai – 400066 40
5 7 15.2.2018 Cosmos High School 3, Sant Eknath Marg, Kajupada, Borivali East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400066 65
6 8 16.2.2018 Students Academy Patel Nager, Indira nagar, Rani sati marg, malad east, mumbai 400097 84
9 16.2.2018 Smt Ashabai Tulashiram Ware Highschool Santoshnagar,Malad East,Mumbai:400097 120
10 16.2.2018 Saraswati Vidya Mandir High School’ Junior College Sahyog Welfare Society, Kanu Comp., Opp. Sudha Hospital,Gen A.K.Vaidya Marg.Malad(East) Mumbai-400097 130
7 11 17.2.2018 Colaba Municipal School Shri N A Sawant Marg, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400005 104
8 12 20.2.2018 SL & SS Girls High School Thakurdwar, Kalbadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400002 105
13 20.2.2018 A.E.S High School 173, Jagannath Shankarseth Marg, Girgaon, Mumbai 400004 26
14 20.2.2018 Seva Sadan Society’s High School Pandita Rambabai Road, Gamdevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400007 150
15 20.2.2018 Aryan Education Society High School 75, J.S. Road, Girguam, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400004 67
16 20.2.2018 G.A Ranade Vidyalaya 14A, Mancharam Bunglow, Kakubhai, Zawabawadi, Thakurdwar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400002 34
17 20.2.2018 Prabhu Seminary High School ND Prabhu Seminary Building,7-7 A, Bhai Jivanji Ln, Thakurdwar, Girgaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400002 18
9 18 27.2.2018 Vibhuti Narayan School 101, Shiv Vallabh Road, Ashok Van, Dahisar East,Mumbai -68 56
10 19 27.2.2018 Abhinav Vidya Mandir Abhinav Nagar, Beside National Park ,Borivali East,Mumbai – 68 80
11 20 8.3.2018 Smt. Kamla Mehta Dadar School for Blind 160, Dadasaheb Phalke Road, Near Tata Mill, Dadar East,Mumbai – 14 32
12 21 8.3.2018 Dhai Akshar Daljit Gym, 3rd Floor, Harminder Singh Road, Araam Nagar Part-1, Near 7 Bungalow garden, Andheri west 8
13 22 9.3.2018 Chogle High School Sri Krishna Nagar, Near National Park, Borivali East,Mumbai-66 160
13 22 9.3.2018 Chogle High School Sri Krishna Nagar, Near National Park, Borivali East,Mumbai-66 160
14 23 13.3.2018 Prabhadevi Municipal School Veer Savarkar Marg, Prabhadevi,Mumbai – 25 170
15 24 13.3.2018 Yusuf Meheralli Vidyalay Narayan Tawade Chowk, Tulsiwadi, Tardeo, Mumbai -34 225
16 25 15.3.2018 Jijamata Vidya Mandir Anandwadi, Kurar Village, Malad East,Mumbai – 400097 268
17 26 15.3.2018 Chandrabhaga Vidya Mandir Pimpripada, Malad East, Mumbai – 400097 192
18 27 15.3.2018 Murara Rao Rane High School Near Masurashram, Pandurang Wadi Rd Number 1, Pandurang Wadi, Goregaon East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400063 112
20 29 20.3.2018 L.P JagdaleGuruji Vidyalaya ppa Pada Rd, K.V. Appa Pada, Hanuman Nagar, Malad East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400097 84
21 30 28.3.2018 Vanita Vishram High School Nanubhai Desai Rd, Sikka Nagar, Khetwadi, Grant Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400004 88
22 31 31.3.2018 Shakti Seva Sanghmadhyamik Vidyalay SN Dubey Road, Shivaji Chowk, Ahead of Alaknanda Society Rawal Pada Dahisar East Moreshwar Shiksha Kendra 160
22 32 3.4.2018 Jay Bharat School Jay Bharat School, Mulund colony, Mulund 504
22 33 Door Step School 304
24 34 7.4.2018 Savitribai Phule Girls School Tilak Nagar, Sakinaka,Next to peninsula Hotel, Andheri E, Mumbai – 72 233
25 35 9.4.2018 Vanita Vishram High School Nanubhai Desai Rd, Sikka Nagar, Khetwadi, Grant Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400004 104
26 36 11.4.2018 Sambhaji Nagar mahanagarpal ika Marathi shakha Akurli Road, Sambhaji Nagar,Narsi Pada, Kandivali East, Mumbai – 400101 128
27 37 11.4.2018 Anudatt School Nr. Lokhandwala Complex, Kandivali East 136

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