Radio for Periods : peer learning in the slums
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Authors
Ananta Prasad
Issue Date
2017-12
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Water and Sanitation
Alternative Title
Abstract
K. Sailaja Reddy, age 16, Sikharchandi Slub, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Sailaja was 13 years old when she first got her periods. Anxious and fearful, she informed her mother about it. She knew very little about menstruation before the onset of her menarche. In fact, even after she got her periods, she had very little knowledge and had harboured number of misconceptions about the process of menstruation that she had begotten from her previous generations. She recalls that when she got her periods for the first time, she was isolated from everyone and kept inside her house owing to the customary practices of her culture. Moreover, she was placed under a number of restrictions by her family in terms of moving and playing, interacting with men and boys and speaking openly about periods. Sailaja had been using cloth to prevent staining back then. She was facing a lot of difficulties in keeping herself clean as she had to wash the cloth on her own and dry it. It was inconvenient since she could not dry the cloth properly when there was no sunlight, like during the monsoons and winter months. Add to that, she was not even aware of the health repercussions that using unhygienic methods like cloth instead of sanitary pads might bring about. Sailaja tells us that when the CCWD and Practical Action program 'Sunalo Sakhi' started in her community, a lot of the young girls and women were reluctant to go and join the discussion. With the constant efforts of the community mobilizers, the Sakhi Club was created in the area as a forum for dissemination of knowledge and discussion regarding menstrual hygiene and related issues. A number of women and girls started actively participating in the program. The community mobilizers used a number of strategies like audio visual screening, radio podcasts, visual charts, action learning, songs and dance in order to inform the participants about the various facts related to menstruation. They started discussing the scientific reasons behind menstruation and busted many myths and taboos regarding periods. They also discussed various health issues pertaining to menstruation, ways to maintain hygiene during periods and practices to be followed for proper health care during adolescence. Gradually, the girls who were reluctant initially began to open up and started discussing their own menstrual problems with the community mobilizers. The community mobilizers tried their best to clarify their queries. Sailaja herself was facing problems with her menstrual cycle. Her menstrual blood was thick and clotted which caused her severe stomach ache and nausea. She spoke about it to the expert doctor on the radio program “Sunalo Sakhi” and the doctor advised her to drink 4-5 litres of water every day. She followed the doctor's advice and noticed changes within a few days. Today the Sikharchandi Sakhi Club has 32 members. All of them, including Sailaja have switched to using sanitary pads instead of cloth. Sailaja now changes her pads 3-4 times per day and disposes the used pads by either burning or burying it. She monitors her period using a calender. She uses the methods suggested by the experts like hot water press and ajwain water consumption to handle period aches. Her problem with blood clot also has been completely resolved. She tells us that the conversation regarding menstruation has changed at her home and in her community with most women now openly speaking about it and discarding the taboos and myths in favour of factual understanding. All the girls in the area now go to school during periods while earlier they were stopped by their families. Sailaja now exercises regularly, eats a healthy diet and takes care of her health. She promises that she will keep spreading the message of the club among her younger friends and urge them to not be fearful or reluctant, to take care of their health and hygiene as well as to listen to the Sunalo Sakhi program on Radio Choklate so that their issues can be addressed.
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All Rights Reserved
All rights reserved
All rights reserved