Primary teacher initiates 'Pad Bank' to promote menstrual health in Bareilly

By India Today Education Desk: Rakhi Gangwar, a primary school teacher in the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, has embarked on a commendable mission to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene. Her innovative approach includes the establishment of a 'pad bank' at her school, providing a vital resource for adolescent girls and women in the local village.

ABOUT MENSTRUAL HEALTH

Gangwar's noble initiative, aimed at breaking the silence around menstrual health, has begun to yield significant results. The 'pad bank,' situated within the premises of the government primary school in Boria village, under the jurisdiction of the Bhadpura block, has been witnessing a growing influx of women seeking access to this essential service.

''The pad bank was started on the occasion of Mother's Day on May 15. During a survey of the village, I found women were unaware of the hygiene and cleanliness necessary during menstruation. They were using dirty clothes. None were using sanitary pads. Many were not even aware it (pads) existed,'' Gangwar told PTI.

EDUCATING VILLAGE WOMEN

Fueled by her passion for community welfare, Gangwar personally took on the responsibility of educating the village women. Employing the motto, "Hamari Kishori, Hamari Shakti" (Our teenage girls are our strength), she extended invitations to mothers and other women from the village to attend enlightening sessions at the school.

Gangwar even financed the purchase of sanitary pads from her own resources, resulting in a notable surge in attendance at the 'pad bank' over the past three months.

''As my school is for students up to Class 5, I personally invited their mothers and other village women. I used my own money to buy sanitary pads and give them to women. Now, as it has been about three months, the number of women coming for the pad bank has increased,'' Gangwar said.

CO-OPERATION BY SCHOOL STAFF AND PRINCIPAL

"'The school staff and the principal are cooperative and support me in this work,'' she said when asked about what kind of support her initiative gets.
''More and more people are joining the campaign. If women coming to me have some health problems, I also arrange video consultation with doctors for them,'' she said, stressing that male teachers of some schools have also joined her campaign.

''I used to send my videos to them (teachers) to show to village women and girls and the campaign is getting a good response. This month, a sanitary pad company offered free pads to the bank,'' Gangwar said.

She said there are 78 families in the village and she personally contacts each of them. ''Some elderly women from the village also come to me and appreciate the initiative and encourage me. They even helped with convincing other women to use the pad bank and spread the word,'' the teacher added.

Sushma Devi, a parent whose daughter attends the same school, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative, noting that it has provided invaluable insights into the significance of hygiene. She commended the availability of free sanitary pads and affirmed her intention to educate her daughter about menstrual health.

''I am happy that we got a chance to find out about the use of sanitary pads that we get free of cost here. I will also teach my daughter about this,'' she added.
Usha Devi and Pinki Devi, both of whom have daughters enrolled at the school, echoed Sushma Devi's sentiments. They emphasized the transformative impact of the 'pad bank' on the community, underlining its value as a platform for education and empowerment.

''We are fortunate that such a pad bank was started here. We are regular visitors now and we also attend workshops at the school. I have told other village women about this and we are glad that such a thing has started here,'' Usha Devi said.

Now, 100-150 women come to the pad bank every month and the number is increasing, Gangwar said.

(With PTI inputs)