Apply
Now!
The Art of Living has created Project Pavitra- a nationwide initiative for enhancing adolescent girl’s menstrual health and hygiene. The project aims to generate awareness amongst adolescent girls about menstrual health and hygiene via sensitisation programs in rural areas and urban slums. The vision of the project is to empower girls with knowledge and awareness on menstrual hygiene to manage their mensuration in a hygienic way in privacy, safety and with dignity at home, at school and in the community. The project aims to create a sustainable change in the menstrual hygiene practice in the country. In the long run, it is hoped that better health status and quality of life, would be achieved amongst girls through the sensitisation programs. Health, Hygiene and Happiness Program for Adolescent Girls is a 3 -day program of 90 minutes per day to sensitise girls on the issue of menstrual hygiene.
The workshops focus on teaching management of mental and physical aspects of stress experienced by girls due to menstruation by teaching them:
Pranayama to reduce premenstrual tension (increased irritability, bloating and cramps.
Yoga asanas to keep PMS, excessive or scanty blood/menstrual flow under check.
Diet for having healthy periods and regaining lost nutrients (using locally available food items (to avoid anaemia and weakness).
Games and skits to help girls dispel myths and superstitions surrounding this natural phenomenon in a playful manner.
Maintaining adequate menstrual hygiene using local resources.
DSBA girls attended the workshop from 2nd April to 4th April 2018 at the campus on the spacious IV Floor hall B Block during the college hours. The workshop was conducted in the morning and noon hours. Girls were divided into two batches. One batch attended the morning sesion and the other batch attended it during the noon. The training was conducted by Ms Sakshi Pandey and Ms Anjali Shah. They were welcomed with flower bouquets by Dr Veena K N, Dean and Prof Nikitha Sreekantha, HOD.
Ms. Sakshi Pandey is an Engineering Graduate with an MBA from IIT Delhi. She has two years of experience in the corporate world. She now manages the national operations for Project Pavitra from The Art of Living International Centre. She is an expert master trainer for this program. She also conducts training of trainers as well as master trainers’ country wide.
Ms Pandey was assisted by Ms Anjali Shah who is a lawyer by profession and is a team member of Project Pavitra. The topic discussed was ‘Menstrual Health’. The trainers began the session with ice breakers to help students achieve a comfort level. Ms Sakshi asked the students what they expected from the workshop and made a list on the whiteboard. Participants enlisted some of their expectations like positive thinking, control of emotions, physical problems like free from menstrual related pains – cramps, aches etc.
Ms Pandey spoke about pre-menstrual check list, the symptoms, pre-menstrual syndrome. She advised the students to spend time with oneself, relax body and mind, take rest whenever possible and not to supress emotions. She enlightened the girls to honour and respect their bodies, not to worry unnecessarily and further spoke about the women's reproductive system and the physiological process associated with it which involves a women’s menstrual cycle. She made them aware about how to maintain menstrual health while avoiding the use of tablets/medicines and when and why a girl should visit a doctor.
Ms Pandey emphasized on the importance of the right amount of sleep for an adolescent. She insisted that a girl should sleep for a minimum of 7 ½ hours daily. She discussed the adverse effects of not sleeping for the required number of hours. On the girls’ request, she elaborated on the various stages of sleep and the right environment for good sleep. Further, she advised girls to refrain from using the mobile phone before sleep and if required, use it only if there is blue filter present on the screen. She also discussed inculcating a good habit before going to bed, which can ensure a good quality of sleep. This was followed with Yoga Nidra, a guided meditation for 20 minutes by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Guruji. Students were totally relaxed after the meditation.
The next day students were taught Surya Namaskar. Surya namaskar can help regulate menstrual cycle. It helps one get relieved from menstrual cramps and regain one’s energy level, so that a girl can cope up with the normal working of the day. To answer a query on whether one can do the asanas during the menstrual cycle, Ms Pandey said different women experience periods differently. If a woman feels too much pain and discomfort then, she listens to her body and takes rest. Basically, no one should force themselves to do yoga. She advised one not to do inverted asana during menstrual cycle. Various Yogasanas were taught which would help keep PMS, excessive or scanty blood/menstrual flow under check. Badhakonasana [Butterfly Pose], Bhujangasana [Cobra Pose], Dhanurasana [Bow Pose], Shavasana [Corpse Pose]. She also made them practise Pranayama [Alternate Nostril Breathing] which can reduce premenstrual tension and calming the mind.
The next session began with a recall on the various asanas and Pranayama taught the previous day. Ms Pandey discussed the old-time home remedies to help relieve menstrual pains like massaging the stomach area clockwise, hot water treatment, drinking lime juice, milk with turmeric etc.
This sensitisation program provided the girls the know-how and on how to handle menstruation, improved the girls’ knowledge of personal hygiene and boosted their confidence when all their unanswered queries were answered by Ms Sakshi Pandey through interactive and engaging training methods during the three-day workshop!
Pooja D N
I Year BBA
