Old practice in a hygienic bag
‘Days for Girls’ is a global movement breaking menstrual stigma while improving access to quality, reusable menstrual care products. The founder and CEO of this foundation Celeste Mergens on her visit to Hyderabad spoke about her products that provides affordable environment-friendly menstrual health solutions.
‘Days for Girls’ has come up with a bag full of menstrual hygiene products as a part of an initiative that supports Swachh Bharat and empowers women. This bag (Rs 300) contains hygiene material like reusable sanitary napkin (to last 5years), soap bar, undergarments. The bag was designed keeping in mind the traditions that some people still follow by using cloth during their monthly cycle.
Speaking about how ‘Days of Girls’ started Celeste shares, “I wish I was the smart one to think of it, but it kind of came to me. When you hear stories of girls sitting in a room without access to education for those five days and use unhygienic material, how can one person not do something. I got encouraged to start working on this. I wake up at 4 in the morning to visit these girls. We have been to 124 countries where we distributed these products to women and girls.”
How receptive were the girls who were given this re-usable sanitary napkin? She shares, “The girls felt more comfortable after using these kits. They say that they can go to school and also stop the usage of grass and mattress stuffing. Earlier, the girls or women whom I reached always used to say that they never wanted to give birth to a girl child, but now the case is different; they are not afraid to give birth to girls anymore.”
About reaching women and girls in remote areas of India, Celeste mentions, “I am going to reach one girl at a time. We visited few girls’ colleges in Hyderabad. We asked these girls to help us reach women and girls in remote areas. They are going to go out and help do the education and ask the rural women to buy a pad which is only Rs 100 and can be used for five long years. This process can build on as people can afford these. I could give it for free. But then, I will be emptying our pockets and people won’t realise the value of it. People should see it as a smart choice not a poor choice.”
Regarding selling the kits in the stores she said, “They will be available in some markets and you can also purchase them online. You can even leave a text and mention the area that you want it and it would be delivered.”
She speaks of alternate menstrual hygiene products that she plans to make them available to girls, she says, “We have menstrual cups, which are inserted as a tampon that collects, then you can wash and use it again. And, this can be used for 10 years. On the other hand, these cloth bags are like the traditional things; it’s more like how you take care of your cloths and wash them,” she sums up.