Village girls learn pad-making skill

By Sher Bahadur Sarki,Bajura, Apr. 24: Young girls in Bajura district have taken the training to make menstrual hygiene pads. With financial support from Budhiganga Municipality in collaboration with the World Food Programme, the school girls have received the training. 

The girls, who have endured hardships during menstruation, were eager to learn the skill of making the sanitary pads.

Elina Nepali, a student of Suryadaya Chaitepeepal Boarding School in municipality-2 said, "Sanitary pads are expensive, and at times I could not afford to buy them, so the skill of making the sanitary pads has made me self-sufficient."

“When I attended school without a proper sanitary pad, I was always worried. Now, I have started using homemade pads and that concern has disappeared,” added Nepali.

Maya Bista, Supervisor of the School Health and Nutrition Programme sponsored by the World Food Programme, Integrated Development Society Nepal (IDS Nepal), said that more than 27 students and teachers from Pashupati, and Suryadaya Chaitepeepal Boarding School have received the pad-making training. 

She added, “Now we are conducting this training in every ward of Budhiganga Municipality so that schoolgirls and teachers can feel comfortable during menstruation.” This training has empowered schoolgirls in the area. 

Asha Thapa, a health professional and instructor of the pad-making training, said that after receiving the training, she now uses the pads made by herself.

She highlighted, “Due to financial constraints, many teenage girls cannot afford to buy pads during menstruation.” 

Thapa further said that after providing pad-making training to schoolgirls and teachers, this issue has been resolved to a certain extent.

Prem Prasad Khanal, district coordinator of the World Food Programme, Integrated Development Society Nepal (IDS Nepal) said that the training has made the girls self-sufficient and empowered.

He added that the programme was being conducted in schools such as Himali Swamikartik, Jaganath, Budhinanda, Badimalika, Budhiganga, Khaptad Chededaha, and Triveni in Bajura.