Rags. Sawdust. Leaves. Grass and paper. These are not items most of us would immediately associate with a woman’s menstrual cycle.

In some areas of countries such as India and Bangladesh, those are the makeshift items many women and girls are using to manage their period every month. With menstruation starting on average at 12 years old and lasting until around 51, that is a likely 39 years or 468 months of a woman’s life using items that can cause infection every month.

Period poverty refers to an inability to afford or access sanitary products, toilets or hygiene facilities, coupled with a lack of awareness around menstrual health.

In India, the recent National Family Health Survey found that 22 per cent of women are not using sanitary products. In some of the poorest states, such as Bihar, the figure is as high as 41 per cent. If you can’t access sanitary products, can’t afford them or don’t even know about them in the first place, what choice do you have?

^{With the help of a Health Leader, Sumaiya now has access to sanitary products.}

The unknown danger every month

In a remote village in Bangladesh, 14-year-old Sumaiya got her first period when she was 10 years old. Terrified at seeing blood in her pyjamas, Sumaiya recalls running to her mother in tears, worried she might be dying.

Her mother Nargis was able to explain it was her period, but instructed Sumaiya to use a cloth rag to manage the bleeding and to change it once a day.

Often considered a taboo subject in many communities, menstruation is rarely spoken about. As a result, many girls end up using the inadequate solutions women did generations ago – despite the now-known health risks – like reusing rags during menstruation without properly cleaning them.

It wasn’t until Opportunity’s Health Leader program reached Nargis and Sumaiya’s village that they learned the dangers of using old cloths during menstruation. Introduced to sanitary pads, they were also taught the importance of changing them every four to six hours to avoid infection.

^{Sumaiya and her mother Nargis receive menstrual health education from a Health Leader.}

Health education can help fill gaps in knowledge

Ending period poverty comes down to improving three key factors: affordability, access and awareness. Opportunity’s Health Leader program sees local women trained in basic healthcare, with an emphasis on menstrual health and hygiene. As they share their knowledge with other households, they’re able to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls across their entire community.

Some women are trained as Health Entrepreneurs, establishing their own health-related businesses and supplying such things as sanitary products affordably in rural and remote communities where access is limited, and women and girls would otherwise have to travel long distances to purchase them.

Thanks to your generous support, Opportunity can reach more women and girls like Nargis and Sumaiya with the knowledge and products they need to manage their periods safely.

Project supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).