Dear Sir/madam
In government schools across rural Chittoor, there is a specific reason why girls are absent from class every month.
Lakshmi is 14 years old and studies in the 8th grade at a Zilla Parishad (ZP) High School near Muthukuru. She is a very bright student. Yet, for four to five days every month, she stays home—not because of illness, but because of menstruation.
Her mother gives her old rags to use. The school lacks toilets with doors, running water, and waste bins. The rags leak, cause itching, and emit an unpleasant odor. Boys make fun of her. That is why she stays home, missing school for 50 days a year. Many of her friends drop out of school completely after the 9th grade.
This is not just Lakshmi’s story; it is the story of thousands of adolescent girls across rural Andhra Pradesh. Findings from our field survey across 42 villages:
- 78% of adolescent girls use old rags, tattered cloth, or even ash during menstruation.
- 65% miss school for 3–5 days every month due to fear and pain.
- 80% have no awareness of menstrual hygiene before their first period.
- Infections, rashes, and urinary issues are common, yet girls never speak about them.
Why? Because a pack of sanitary pads costs ₹40–50. For a daily-wage family earning ₹300 a day, that is a luxury. Furthermore, menstruation remains a taboo subject shrouded in shame. Mothers do not speak about it, teachers do not teach it, and girls suffer in silence.
At the *Rural Physically Handicapped Rehabilitation Centre (RPHCR)*, although we primarily work with persons with disabilities, we understand what it means to be neglected. Living with a disability and being a girl in a poor village—both situations lead to social exclusion. Our field workers—women with disabilities—said, "We must do something."
That is why we launched *Project Spandana – Dignity for Her*.
*What we do:*
*1. *1. We Distribute:* We provide each girl with a six-month supply kit of biodegradable sanitary pads—containing 60 pads, two pairs of undergarments, and a small cloth bag. Supporting one girl for a full year costs only ₹600.
*2. We Raise Awareness:* Before distribution, our trained female health workers—including women with disabilities—conduct a one-hour session in Telugu. We explain menstruation, pad usage, disposal, and hygiene practices in a simple, scientific manner. We also engage with mothers and male teachers so they can offer support without hesitation or embarrassment.
*3. We Ensure Sustainability:* We have installed low-cost pad disposal bins and helped repair toilet doors in schools. We established "Spandana Girls' Clubs," where senior girls mentor their juniors. Additionally, we are training 10 adolescent girls with disabilities to manufacture low-cost pads locally; this not only provides them with a livelihood but also ensures a steady supply of pads.
Last year, we reached 1,200 girls across 18 rural schools. The results were immediate: school attendance rose by 40%. A headmaster in Karvetinagar told us, "This is the first time that not a single girl has missed her annual exams due to menstruation."
Lakshmi now attends school every day. She keeps her kit right in her school bag. She says, "I am not afraid anymore. I can play and study. I feel clean and hygienic."
A ₹40 pad is not just cotton; it represents self-confidence. It means five more days of education. It offers protection against infection. It conveys the message that her body is not impure, but natural.
When a girl can manage her menstruation with dignity, she stays in school, dreams big, and the entire village transforms.
*One kit = ₹600 = A girl's dignity for a whole year.*
Support 100, 500, or 1,000 girls. A small act of support can bring about a major change in rural Chittoor.
*₹600 = A girl's dignity for a whole year.*
Support 100, 500, or 1,000 girls. A small act of support can bring about a major change in rural Chittoor
Thanks and Regards
G.Kalavathi
Secretary
Rural Physically Handicapped Centre For Rehabilitation
Shankar Reddy Jampala
For Other Rural Physically Handicapped Centre For Rehabilitation
