Ending Period Poverty for Girls in Nepal

by P&G Singapore

A long-time advocate of female empowerment and gender equality, P&G is partnering with World Vision to empower adolescent girls in Sindhuli, Nepal to take charge of their menstrual health.

16-year-old Kamana’s* story is reminiscent of many other girls who live in Khangang, Pikkal in Sinduli district, one of the two areas where World Vision has undertaken a menstrual hygiene project.

Kamana comes from a poor, Dalit (‘’untouchables’’) family. The family of nine live in a marginalized community where sanitation gets minimal or no attention.

“My parents kept me in a room for seven days. I was not allowed to step out of the room nor prepare my own food. And because of that, I missed my classes.” “I sleep in the cowshed (chaugoth) during my menstruating days." "My house, toilet and surroundings are dirty. We do not have a proper place to dispose waste. There is trash lying around everywhere,” - Kamana

The situation is no better in school. “We have a lot of students and the water available is not sufficient to flush all the human waste, making the toilets dirty. Our school also doesn’t have a proper, managed disposal site hence its surroundings are often polluted and unclean,” she adds. 

Kamana has been taking care of her personal hygiene during her periods in a traditional manner. As sanitary pads are not readily available, she uses pieces of cloth during periods. She also mentions that women and girls are “unclean’’ when they are menstruating. She keeps pieces of cloth in plastic bags, washing and reusing the cloth repeatedly, only disposing of them when they are completely worn.

There is an urgent need to address the menstrual hygiene management (MHM) of adolescent girls in Nepal.  This involves creating more supportive and enabling environments both at home and in schools so girls can have greater control over their menstrual health. What this means is that Nepalese girls no longer have to miss consecutive classes whenever they get their periods every month and can continue their education without fear of lagging behind.

With your support, in 2020 World Vision aims to help over 400 vulnerable adolescent girls (aged 10-19 years old) like Kamana improve their menstrual hygiene health and prevent them from dropping out of school prematurely.  This project will include:

• Provide menstrual health start kits for girls
• Provide female friendly rest areas in 3 schools
• Provide improved gender-friendly toilets in 3 schools
• Provide sanitary pad vending machines in selected schools
• Engaging relevant authorities to help debunk menstrual myths and the taboos in the community

Please join P&G to enable adolescent girls in Nepal to have safer, more hygienic periods so they can complete their education.

*name changed to protect her identity

The cowshed outside Kamana's house does little to protect her from elements and attacks from wild animals.

The toilets in Kamana's school are used by both boys and girls, and toilet floors are littered with soiled paper