Maya Universe AcademyNetherlands

I have called myself a women ever since

Yade Sanitary Pads came to Maya to give a workshop to our students. It teaches young girls and boys how to make reusable menstrual pads, which are not only cheaper but also less harmful to nature. During the workshop they take time to discuss menstruation, creating a safe environment to ask each other questions and talk openly about this topic.

By Roshany, one of our first students

The first time I bled, I was happy because of all the possibilities and the doors that opened that day. I have called myself a woman since. Bleeding in between my legs was a moment to be proud of, a sign I had grown up. I was taught about it, I was told it is a normal process that every woman in the world goes through. It was not a sin, it was not a moment I needed to hide from the world, it was not a time to be ashamed of.

Within the same community, a friend became a woman and she was pushed to a hut told to hide in it, not to see the sun for days, not to share the pain. She stayed in there feeling guilty of a crime she didn’t commit. She buried her face in the dark cottage crying to herself. She was bleeding in between but has no idea why. She was given a piece of cloth to clean it up but the stain never leaves.

Period poverty is an important issue for Nepalese women and girls. The lack of access to menstrual pads as well as the cultural stigma around menstruation disadvantages women in everyday life.

Yade Sanitary Pads came to Maya to give a workshop to our students. It teaches young girls and boys how to make reusable menstrual pads, which are not only cheaper but also less harmful to nature. During the workshop they take time to discuss menstruation, creating a safe environment to ask each other questions and talk openly about this topic.