Period! Menstruation is not a taboo, ‘PAD DIDI’ out to burst the myth

Kour, forced to undergo uterus removal surgery after complications, distributed 5 lakh sanitary pads at slums, schools, reports Ejaz Kaiser
Dimple Kour distributes sanitary pads at a slum | EXPRESS
Dimple Kour distributes sanitary pads at a slum | EXPRESS

CHHATTISGARH:  It’s only living through unpleasant and distressing moments that make us realise that life also presents us with an opportunity to emerge stronger. Hercharan (Dimple) Kour, also known as ‘Pad Didi’ in Chhattisgarh’s Bhilai, is one such personality who not only navigated through the roadblocks by transcending tough days but also has been spreading awareness about menstrual hygiene and the use of sanitary napkins.

In the last four years, Kour, 49, with the help of her NGO has distributed over five lakh sanitary pads in schools, colleges, and at slums. Kour, a MA in social science, had suffered from excessive menstrual bleeding with shooting pain for over three years and that forced her to undergo a radical hysterectomy (uterus removal) surgery in December 2014.

Six months later, she was again operated on following complications. “I had to endure the suffering for so long owing to my elders in the family, who were unfamiliar with the cause. Unlike me, many might not be as fortunate to escape such prolonged discomfort without any serious illeffect. Even many educated women are not aware of the complexity that may arise owing to irregular menses.

Dimple Kour during an awareness camp on menstruation at a school | EXPRESS
Dimple Kour during an awareness camp on menstruation at a school | EXPRESS

Consulting doctors, stay in tune with the body and taking the right decision at the right time is a must,” she says. Having gone through such misery, Kour decided to reach out to women and girls, especially slums dwellers and those belong to the low-income group, and educate them in dealing with menstruation-related challenges. The idea to provide free sanitary pads to the marginalised women derives from her ordeals, and Kour started an NGO, Anubhuti Shree Foundation in Bhilai in July 2016.

Since then, the foundation has been distributing sanitary napkins free of cost at slum areas in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. The foundation also arranges regular medical camps with the help of senior gynaecologists to spread awareness about menstrual hygiene. The sanitary pads are being prepared with new cotton cloth by women workers of slum areas.

In the last four years, the foundation has reached out to over 40 schools across the three states. “I always ask women and girls on why God’s gift of the normal biological process be treated as a disgrace. Let’s face it with pride maintaining all cautions”, she says. The foundation also has its branch in Jabalpur (MP) and Jamshedpur (Jharkhand).

Help during Covid pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic didn’t deter her from pursuing the mission. During the lockdown, she and her team distributed around 20,000 sanitary pads to migrant labourers and those living in slums and ‘jhuggis’. Mantu Sinha, a Mitanin (community health worker), says: “Dimple has raised the morale of women.

They have realised the importance of menstrual hygiene management.” “Taboos and myths associated with menstruation had made it difficult for us to talk about it openly. Now, basic knowledge about it alleviated the fear and aversion,” says Punam Sahu, a slum dweller in Bhilai.

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