BENGALURU: Baby steps, big dreams... Meet these four students from Bengaluru who have been shortlisted for Activate Impact Summit at the United Nations, thanks to their efforts at making the world a better place for women
When Harshada RB and Maliha Fathima saw a video of the difficulties faced by menstruating doctors who donned PPE kits, the two Class 12 students knew they had to do something to help. After research to learn more about their struggles with sanitary napkins, the duo started conducting webinars in July for frontline doctors and nurses, as part of their Project Rutu. The two sessions conducted so far saw 19 doctors from Sapthagiri Hospital and Lakshmi Maternity & Surgical Center, and ran for 30-40 minutes, with discussions on how menstrual waste is produced, why menstrual cups might be better, and demonstrations using visuals on using one. A recent convert to sustainable methods, Fathima says, “I wish to help every woman bleed safely, with dignity, and help equip our female frontline warriors with everything they need to work comfortably.”
While they do touch upon other sustainable alternatives like period panties, biodegradable pads, etc the emphasis for frontline workers has been on promoting menstrual cups. Harshada adds, “It can be worn for as long as 12 hours, so there’s no need to change it while wearing a PPE. And with it, female frontline workers may not have to take days off if they don’t want to because they will be more comfortable. Often, sanitary napkins can lead to rashes, and tampons can cause toxic shock syndrome.”
The girls, who study at Delhi Public School Bangalore North, have also created a WhatsApp group as a community exercise. For time-strapped healthline workers, the group serves as a one-stop platform for guidance related to the products. On the cards is more advocacy to make menstrual cups a part of the PPE kit. “We contemplated this after some doctors told us that they have to buy their own kits,” says Harshada, adding that this initiative was carried out as part of their involvement with 1M1B, an organisation that has programmes for building future leaders. “As a part of this, we will be delegates at the organisation’s Activate Impact Summit at the UN next year,” she adds.
The efforts, however, don’t stop there. In order to measure impact, the girls are also tracking successful conversions towards menstrual cups and hope to hold similar sessions, and maybe even in-person ones, for BBMP workers and female police officers as well. The two students have also collaborated with Inner Wheel Club (the female wing of Rotary Club) to distribute menstrual cups to BBMP doctors and policewomen.
Expert speak
Efficacy of menstrual cups is dependent on the right usage and the user’s comfort with them, says Dr Bharati Kamoji, a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Aster CMI Hospital. But it does have some advantages over sanitary napkins, she adds. “Pads can hold up to a third of an ounce of blood. Cups, on the other hand, can hold 1-2 ounces. They can also be worn for longer. Wearing a pad for longer, however, can lead to bacterial infections,” she says.