With sanitary pads supply for entire year, ‘Dignity Kits’ distributed in Ludhiana schools

Earlier, the project was running in states such as Maharashtra, Telangana and Rajasthan with an aim to provide kits to at least one million girls across the country. The project has now been initiated in Punjab with distribution of Dignity Kits at Bharat Sewak Adarsh Vidyalaya in Moti Nagar of Ludhiana.

Dr Rohini Dutta, medical intern at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), Ludhiana, Global Surgery Fellow at WHO Collaborating Centre for research on surgical care delivery in Low-Middle-income countries, India & ex-president Asian Medical Students Association (India), said that they distributed first set of ‘Dignity Kits’ at Sewak Adarsh Vidyalaya in Ludhiana on Monday. “This marks the beginning of the project in Punjab. We select schools on basis of need to make kits reach those girls who actually cannot afford to buy sanitary napkins and other menstrual hygiene products.”

Dr Dutta added that each kit contains 90 sanitary pads so that girls do not face any issue during periods every month.

“All girls from Class 6 to 12 will be given Dignity kits because there is no shame in getting periods,” she said.

The young doctors associated with the project also aim to combat taboos associated with menstruation and in whichever school, the kits are distributed — the team also conducts an awareness session to answer queries of the girls related to periods.

“When we started the session in Ludhiana school, a girl whispered ‘periods’ when we asked what the meaning of menstruation is? Then we told them to talk openly about periods and discuss whatever issues they face during those days.

The aim is to normalise talking about periods and say this word without any hesitation. People who know about any such school where underprivileged girls need menstrual hygiene products, they can mail us at voci@amsaindia.in. Our team will conduct need-base analysis and distribute ‘Dignity Kits’ in that school,” said Dr Dutta, adding more schools will be covered in Punjab in coming days.