Shiksharth

Bring health, hope, and bright futures to teenage tribal girls by helping them overcome ignorance around menstruation

₹2,13,096 raised of ₹2,00,000

89 contributors

Online ₹ 2,13,096

Offline ₹ 0


Total ₹ 2,13,096

0
day left

campaign ended on 7th Sep 23

Through Period Positive Spaces, help teenage tribal girls in Sukma overcome stigmas related to menstruation.

When Sushmita (pseudonym) got her periods for the first time she was scared and clueless. She snuck out of her home to speak with her friend because she didn’t know what to do. Her friend, too, had no idea and suggested they speak with bhabhi (sister-in-law) next door. Sushmita followed Bhabhi’s advice to hide in the neighbouring forest.

In the meantime, Sushmita's family was desperately looking for her. Finally they found out where she was and brought her back home. The confused girl was ordered to remain segregated. Her mother stayed her at night. She stopped having periods after four days. Her mother explained that before she could enter her home, all of her impurities had to be removed by taking a bath.

Most girls are like Sushmita. They lack education, assistance, and rudimentary understanding of sanitation, hygiene, and health. Not only the girls but their community is ignorant and stigmatise makes such a common bodily function.

52 percent of India's 200 million menstruating adult women reside in rural areas. Most people are unaware of good menstrual hygiene procedures. Periods are frowned upon. Girls and women who are on their periods are not permitted to see or touch others. Most use rags that are washed and used again. Disposable sanitary pads, when available, must be cleansed after use since menstrual blood is considered filthy and are subsequently dumped into local streams or ponds.

Shiksharth works in the remote districts of Sukma & Bastar in Chhattisgarh. Over seven years of working in schools they have seen almost no support for menstrual health and hygiene from public health agencies and have been forced to lead the charge as this affects the overall learning journey of young girls in their schools. They’ve creates Period Positive spaces in the tribal communities where they work. These include workshops, nurturing MHM Champions, providing sustainable options, learning and communication material in over 20 residential schools of Sukma reaching over 3000 girls.

Menstrual hygiene and health have had so little assistance from public health organisations during Shiksharth’s seven years of working in the remote districts of Sukma & Bastar in Chhattisgarh. They have been obliged to take the initiative because it has an impact on how young girls learn overall at their schools. In the indigenous communities where they serve, they have established Period Positive places where they conduct workshops, promote MHM Champions, provide sustainable solutions, and learning and communication materials for over 3000 girls in over 20 schools.

 

PS: We, at danamojo, are doing this Team Fundraiser support Shiksharth in this much-needed effort. We are most grateful for your support. Thank You.

 

 

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contributors (89)
Matching Donation for danaStars

Siva & Royan Foundation donated ₹ 50,000 on 12th Sep 23

Ashok Sawhney donated ₹ 5,000 on 6th Sep 23

Subhashini Raghunathan donated ₹ 5,000 on 5th Sep 23

Sushree Gayatri Jena donated ₹ 250 on 5th Sep 23

Wish you the best!!

Anuja Kishore donated ₹ 11,000 on 4th Sep 23

Raj Yogesh Palan donated ₹ 501 on 4th Sep 23

Aditi Saxena donated ₹ 1,000 on 3rd Sep 23

Karandeep Malik donated ₹ 3,000 on 3rd Sep 23

Tarun Ayitam donated ₹ 500 on 3rd Sep 23

Raman Bahl donated ₹ 251 on 3rd Sep 23

₹2,13,096 raised of ₹2,00,000

89 contributors

0
day left

campaign ended on 7th Sep 23

Online donations

₹ 2,13,096

Offline donations

₹ 0


Total donations

₹ 2,13,096