300 students receive free sanitary pads as part of an awareness programme on menstrual health
Credit: DH photo
Mangaluru: As many as 300 students studying in Kavoor received sanitary pads free of cost at an awareness programme on menstrual health and hygiene.
The programme was organised by Women Research Centre and Internal Quality Assurance cell (IQAC) at the hall in GFGC premises on Saturday.
The students hailed from Government First Grade college (GFGC), PU government college and high school.
"Such awareness programme on menstrual health and free distribution of pads will be organised once in two months through out the year. The entire cost of organising the awareness programmes and free distribution of pads had been sponsored by US based couple, Vinay Kumar and Dr Sowmya Rao, and a non government organisation--`Code Crimson'," informed Prameela Rao of Women Research Centre.
The couple also have sponsored six-month free computer training programme for students, Prameela said. GFGC Principal Dr Geetha M L presiding over the programme urged students to use the pads which are bio-degradable.
Earlier Joint Director of Department of Collegiate Education, Regional Office, Mangaluru Kavitha K R inaugurating the programme said the donors act of kindness should inspire students to become role models in society.
"After scaling great heights, students also should give back to the society in future," Kavitha emphasised. One among the sponsor Dr Sowmya Rao after obtaining her Engineering degree in India and later had obtained a degree in Dentistry in USA. Thus Dr Sowmya Rao is truly a role model, Kavitha said.
"The number of women entering workforce increased from 11 % to 48 %. More women should come up and become role models," she stressed.
Joint Director hailed the practice of motivating girl students to highlight their grievances with the help of a pink box installed in the college. It was one such grievance about the myths surrounding menstruation that had prompted the college to organise an awareness programme on menstrual hygiene. "Thus expressing is very important in order to find solutions for problems in society," she said.
Dr Ankita Sarkar, serving as Assistant Superintendent at Mumbai based Tata memorial hospital, and her sister Anuja Sarkar from Code Crimson addressing students dispelled myths about menstruation, need to change pads once in four hours, importance of period tracking and impact of improper disposal of used pads. "Periods are natural," Dr Ankita and Anuja stressed and urged students to visit their YouTube channel, `Codecrimson chats'.
Standing Ovation
Joint Director Kavitha urged students to give a standing ovation to Jayalakshmi Bhat Kalpure who was present on the stage on behalf of the sponsors.
Later Jayalakshmi, mother of Vinay Kumar, was felicitated on the occasion. Head of Political Science department Mamatha U, Student Welfare Officer Dr Santhosh Pinto, IQAC Co-ordinator Dr Therese Pereira, Assistant Professor Jyothi Shetty, Narasimhamurthy were also present on the dias.