Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Timeout
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • Others
    • COVID-19
    • Today’s Pic
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Timeout
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • Others
    • COVID-19
    • Today’s Pic
No Result
View All Result
OrissaPOST - Odisha Latest news, English Daily -
No Result
View All Result

It’s about hygiene, period

Shalini Sahu, an advocate of menstrual hygiene, has been actively working to get rid of the taboos surrounding menstruation

Updated: January 5th, 2019, 17:41 IST
in Feature
0
Shalini Sahu
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on Linkedin

The menstrual cycle may not be an issue for women in urban areas, but in rural areas, it is still considered a curse by uneducated women, says Shalini Sahu. An advocate of menstrual hygiene and a firm opponent of child marriages, Shalini received the Best Volunteer Award at a function organised December 5 in New Delhi on International Volunteers Day by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports supported by UNDP, UNICEF and UN volunteers.

Shalini, who belongs to Jengera in Nuapada district, says people in her village follow a cruel custom when girls reach puberty. She says, “Menstruating girls are made to sleep in cowsheds or separately for seven days. Nobody is allowed to come into contact with them and they are not allowed into the house until their period is over. They are treated like untouchables. It really made me feel bad. However, I had a different story when I experienced menarche. I am from a farmer’s family, and my broadminded parents did not impose these restrictions on me and let me live my life on my terms. However, the plight of many of the village girls disturbed me and I wanted to change the society’s approach to menstruation. I made it a mission to promote menstrual hygiene and end the taboos and stigma attached to it.”

In 2016, Shalini joined a training programme sponsored by Asha Odisha and Save the Children that sought to improve menstrual hygiene in rural pockets and empower girls and women by raising awareness among them regarding the issue. The project taught women how to manage menstrual hygiene and use sanitary pads properly. Shalini was chosen as a discussion leader due to her will power and determination to change the prevailing practice in her village and nearby localities.

Shalini thinks the biggest barrier for women and girls to maintain menstrual hygiene is lack of awareness and the unavailability as well as high cost of sanitary pads, besides socially restrictive practices. She feels that awareness about menstruation being just a physiological process should be created also among men, religious leaders and health workers so that they can address the issue. In the countryside, women use ordinary cloth during menstruation and don’t wash and dry them properly after use. So, Shalini organised village meetings in collaboration with local health workers through a project ‘Ananya’.  The project is being implemented in the Nuapada and Kandhamal districts in Odisha. With the help of some health workers, she staged skits and street plays to create awareness on menstruation and sexual and reproductive health rights. Women’s groups were educated on the proper usage and disposal of sanitary pads.

Recalling an interesting incident, she says, there was a girl named Hirondi Nisaj in Beheradihi village. Her parents were not keen to send her to the meeting. “When she failed to attend the meeting repeatedly, I went and talked to her parents and persuaded them to to send her for a three-day training programme.  We taught her first about body parts. She was initially shy and hesitant to name all her body parts. In the meeting, we make the village women speak up publicly. After attending the programme, we discovered a new Hirondi. She decided to organise women and create awareness among them. And she is now working as a discussion leader.”

“When we were staging a skit in Beheradihi as part of our measures to get rid of the taboo of menstruation, a few women left the place abusing me. However, I did not pay heed,” Shalini continues.

“I have visited 20 villages where I found that girls and women living there did not have access to safe menstrual hygiene products. I conducted hygiene camps with an aim to create awareness among women on adopting hygienic practices. Besides, I gave them tips on how to minimise reproductive tract infections. Earlier, they used cloth during periods. They were unaware of the fact that they could get sanitary napkins free of cost from health workers. Thanks to our joint efforts, most village women have started using sanitary napkins during their period. Recently, Save the Children organisation conducted a rally to create awareness in this regard which was joined by 445 girls of Nuapada. Eminent social activist Tulasi Munda graced the occasion and lauded our efforts.”

Shalini’s achievements do not end here. She has stopped 10 child marriages in Nuapada district. “I feel proud of that. What life would these girls have after getting married? At least, now they can focus on education,” she says.

Shalini, who is a recipient of the Change maker award, works as a teacher at Aryan Public School. She says, “Receiving the prize for best volunteer is the proudest moment in my life. A total of ten youths from India were chosen as best volunteers and I was shortlisted as one of two from Odisha. When I started working on creating awareness on periods, people in my locality laughed at me and said many things behind my back. But when I made my hometown proud, the same people clapped for me.”

RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP

Tags: Asha OdishaawarenessMenstrual hygieneShalini Sahu
Share6TweetSendShare
Suggest A Correction

Enter your email to get our daily news in your inbox.

Related Posts

Follow these tips to stay protected from common flu

February 2, 2023
Covid

Revealed: Only 7 health symptoms directly related to long Covid

January 31, 2023
A third booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a 90 per cent reduction in death in people with multiple health conditions compared to two doses, according to a study conducted in Hong Kong.

90% reduction in Covid deaths after booster dose: Study

January 31, 2023
Pathaan

Have forgotten last four years in these four days: Shah Rukh Khan on ‘Pathaan’

January 30, 2023

What happens to our data when we no longer use a social media network or publishing platform?

January 30, 2023
Heart

Gum infection may lead to serious heart problem: Study

January 30, 2023

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

OrissaPOST epaper Sunday POST OrissaPOST epaper

Click Here: Plastic Free Odisha

Plastic Free Odisha

Darsheel Safary, Actor

Darsheel Safary calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Samanta Singhara Nodal High School students

Samanta Singhara Nodal High School students of Balia, Jajpur support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sri Aurobindo School students & teachers

Sri Aurobindo School students & teachers of Sambalpur support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

CRPF 127 Battalion, Bhanjanagar

CRPF 127 Battalion, Bhanjanagar supports a plastic free Odisha. Do you?   *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Hockey Player Dilip Tirkey

Hockey Player Dilip Tirkey supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Bhubaneswar Bar Association Lawyer Liberty Trust

Bhubaneswar Bar Association Lawyer Liberty Trust supports plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sudarsan Pattnaik,Sand Artist

Sudarsan Pattnaik support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you?  *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your Photos/Selfie ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sundargarh Public School teachers

Sundargarh Public School teachers support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Cuttack College NCC students

Cuttack College NCC students support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sundargarh Public School students

Sundargarh Public School students support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Puri SCS College Students

Puri SCS College Students support a plastic free odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Bijay Mohanty, Actor

Actor Bijay Mohanty calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Govinda Poddar-Odisha Ranji Team Captain

Govinda Poddar, Odisha Ranji Team Captain  calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Elina Samantray, Actress

Elina Samantray calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Tanbhi Block School students and staff

Tanbhi Block School students and staff support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

BJB Autonomous College-Bhubaneswar

BJB Autonomous college students support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Actor Sritam Das

Actor Sritam Das supports a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Balibil Nodal School students

Balibil Nodal School students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Naveen Jindal-Enterpreneur

Naveen Jindal support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you?  *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your Photos/Selfie ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Kalamatia Sahid Bidyapitha students

Kalamatia Sahid Bidyapitha students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Scoutmaster, Guide Captains, Rovers, and Rangers of Keonjhar

Scoutmaster, Guide Captains, Rovers, and Rangers of Keonjhar support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Swaraj Barik, Actor

Swaraj Barik calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

High school students of Sambalpur district

High school students of Sambalpur district support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

National School Kujang

National School students Kujang Jagatsinghpur district support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Korei college students

Korei college students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Valena Valentina-Karate Player

Karate player Valena Valentina calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Arindam Roy, Actor

Arindam Roy supports call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Ratikant Mohapatra,Odissi Dance Director

Ratikant Mohapatra support a plastic free odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Students of Tulasipur Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir, Cuttack

Students of Tulasipur Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir, Cuttack call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Archita Sahu, Actress

Archita Sahu support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018

Archives

Editorial

Tel Aviv Tightrope

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry hold a press conference in Cairo, Egypt, January 30, 2023. (PC: AP)
February 1, 2023

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s ongoing visit to Israel is taking place in a period of intense crisis aggravated...

Read more

Ukraine’s Twin Wars

Local residents remove debris from a house of their neighbour damaged by a Russian military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Hlevakha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine [Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters]
January 31, 2023

As military and humanitarian aid worth billions of dollars keep pouring into Ukraine during its ongoing war against Russia, there...

Read more

Now Adani

Adani Group
January 30, 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion in Rajasthan January 28 that several attempts were made to “break India geographically, culturally, socially...

Read more

Where’s Govt Action?

January 29, 2023

Readers may be familiar with the fall in the Adani group’s share prices last week. Indian investors were reacting to...

Read more
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Career
Developed By Ratna Technology

© 2020 All rights Reserved by OrissaPOST

  • Home
  • Metro
  • State
  • National
  • International
  • IPL
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Feature
  • Opinion
  • Sci-Tech
  • COVID-19
  • Today’s Pic
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Career
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

© 2020 All rights Reserved by OrissaPOST