TIRUCHY: In a bid to promote open talk on menstruation and give young women a forum to discuss their menstrual health and clarify doubts, NGO Gramalaya has opened a 'Menstrual Café' in the city. Instead of coffee or tea, the café at Thillai Nagar, which was inaugurated on Menstrual Hygiene Day, will serve information on all things menstruation.
S Damodaran, Founder & CEO of Gramalaya, says that they want to help every woman and adolescent girl in the country have a happy and healthy period.
"When we go around speaking about menstrual health and hygiene in various universities and schools, we saw that many girls would approach the MHM (Menstrual Health Management) educators with doubts. Most of these doubts would be related to their menstrual cycle, hygiene, and related problems. We realised that these girls don't have a proper forum to air their doubts. That's why we decided to open this café, where they can openly discuss their problems with non-judgemental educators," he said.
Most young girls get their menstrual education from their mother or friends, but there are many doubts that they wouldn’t feel comfortable asking them. Instead of searching for answers on Google, they can have them cleared at the café, Damodaran added.
The café open from 10 am to 6 pm on all days except Sunday, serves for free. There would be two trained MHM educators. If they feel that the girl or woman has a serious health problem and needs medical care, they will refer them to a doctor. Besides menstrual health, girls can clear doubts on sexual health as well.
Gramalaya is also planning to start tele-consultation, Damodaran said.
Further, the café is equipped with resources and education material on menstrual health and hygiene.
Preethi Damodaran, Project Director, MHM, Gramalaya, calls the café a safe and non-judgemental space that provides counselling to adolescent girls.
"Girls generally discuss menstruation issues with their mother or friends. They don't always get the right answers. They should know what a normal cycle of menstruation is, what heavy bleeding is, and what is abnormal. Information of various menstrual products will also be provided here. The café is all about
knowledge and information sharing," she said.
Gramalaya hopes to set up such café in universities and colleges next.