Shepad, a project to ensure menstrual hygiene among girl students, got off to a start here on Wednesday.
The project, being implemented by the Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC), will benefit students from classes 6 to 12 in government and aided schools.
Free sanitary napkins, cupboards to stock them, and incinerators to dispose of used napkins will be provided to 300-odd schools in 144 panchayats this academic year. It will cover all schools in the State from the next year.
Minister for Health and Social Justice K.K. Shylaja inaugurated the project at Janardanapuram Higher Secondary School, Ottasekharamangalam, by handing over the incinerator to Principal V. Sreekala. In her address, the Minister said the project aimed at physical and mental health of teenage students.
Mental issues too
The project was launched in few schools after it was found that anxiety about menstruation and lack of availability of sanitary pads created physical and mental issues among girls. However, a few problems had been noticed. The KSWDC had addressed these issues and was implementing the project in association with local self-government institutions, Ms. Shylaja said.
She reminded the students that menstruation was a biological process; there was nothing impure about it, nor did it have to be kept a secret.
The Minister released a pamphlet on menstrual hygiene awareness, prepared by HLL Lifecare, by handing it over to Headmaster U. Madhusudanan Nair.
C.K. Hareendranath, MLA, presided over the function. KSWDC chairperson K.S. Saleekha and Director Bindu V.C. was present.