Meghalaya: Gambegre MLA Mehtab Chandee initiate campaign to promote menstrual awareness on International Women’s Day

A CORRESPONDENT

TURA: In a significant step towards empowering young women and girls, Mellim Deficit Secondary School in the South West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya marked International Women’s Day with a comprehensive menstrual hygiene awareness program and distributed reusable sanitary pads for young girls and women on Saturday. This marked the first time such resources were provided to the students and community members.

Jesmine Ch. Momin, an assistant teacher at the school, said that the distribution of sanitary pads was an initiative by Mehtab Chandee Sangma, MLA of Gambegre constituency, supported by the Chief Minister’s Special Grant, aiming to educate and equip students and young women from the surrounding vicinity with essential knowledge and resources.

The programme focused on addressing the critical issue of menstrual hygiene, particularly among girls aged 11 to 18, spanning classes six to ten. Careen R. Marak, teacher of the school, presided over the program, and also awareing the students, parents, and the villagers took part in the program. Recognizing the importance of accessible and sustainable solutions, the school distributed reusable cloth pads and informative leaflets.

Careen R. Marak also emphasized that the reusable sanitary pads will help the students as they can be used up to 3 to 5 years, especially during the rainy season when areas are affected with floods every year by the Ringdi River. “During the flood, the school and many nearby villages of the school submerged with the floodwater, and at that time, it was not possible to maintain hygiene every time; however, these pads will now give relief during the menstruation time.” Careen R. Marak.

The Mellim Deficit Secondary School in the South West Garo Hills District has around 130 girls out of 300 students. The school is some 30 kilometres from Tura, the capital of the Garo Hills.

The distribution of reusable pads was accompanied by detailed explanations in the local language, ensuring that the information was easily understood. The leaflets provided further guidance on proper hygiene practices, empowering the girls to manage their menstrual cycles with utmost care.

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