The proposed project is about providing adequate MHM support to few girl’s schools in Udalguri district in Assam. Under the project, separate Menstruating Women friendly toilet blocks with all modern facilities are being proposed to be set up across 3 schools in Udalguri district in Assam.

The Implementing Agency

The proposer Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati is a 35 year old Guwahati based registered society working across the NE region in the spheres of health, education and empowerment of women especially the women entrepreneurs. Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati runs two of its flagship programs – the Vasundhara NE Women Entrepreneur of the Year and Purvottar Pran Lifetime Achievement Award for social integration aimed at highlighting the successful women entrepreneurs and people who have contributed substantially towards the growth of the region.

Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati has been recently made a Nodal Agency for the NE Region by the NITI Aayog, Govt. of India under its flagship Women Entrepreneurs Platform programme and its Secretary General works as the Head NER of the WEP on behalf of the NITI Aayog.

Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati has proposed this particular project aimed at empowering the girl students and providing them access to scientific MHM practices in order to save them from the ordeal and ensure that they don’t face any hindrances in their educational journey.

Goals and objectives of the project

The project aims at achieving the following goals: -

• To dispel the taboos associated with menstruation in adolescent girls and provide them scope for scientific and hygienic management of their periods.
• To ensure MHM practices among girl students in the chosen schools.
• To provide easy access to standard and scientifically managed toilet facilities.
  

• To reduce instances of drop out by girls during their periods.

Project area

The project area chosen for implementation of the project is 3 school campuses in Udalguri. The 3 girl’s schools selected are Mudoibari M.E. School, Kalaigaon Girls High School and Kabirali Higher Secondary School in Udalguri district.

Measurable outcome

The proposed programme will focus on the capacity building of 381 adolescent girl students to create a safe space, where the toilet can also be used to demystify taboos surrounding menstruation, orienting them to manage the menstrual process, by providing access to sanitary napkins and disposal of soiled ones. The expected outcomes of the proposed pilot based project are: -

• Knowledge on operational maintenance of urinals, toilets and methods of disposing of used sanitary pads in a scientific manner will empower the girls and bring in confidence among them. This will prevent improper disposal of used sanitary pads which pose a grave danger to the environment.
• More girls will be encouraged to give up the habit of skipping school during menstruation days for lack of proper toilet facilities.