JOIN USDK girl students to get sanitary pads free of cost
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) under its ‘Kishori’ project is all set to prepare young girls to face the physical changes that will take place in them while attaining puberty.
This year, SSA of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat will be a role model in the State with its novel project of distributing sanitary napkins free of cost to 10,250 students studying in classes 7 and 8.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, SSA District Coordinator N Shivaprakash said that a total amount of Rs 1,23,000 has been allotted for this purpose. Students studying in classes 7 and 8 in government higher primary schools are selected to receive napkins. As many as 2,241 students in Bantwal, 2,006 students in Belthangady, 355 students in Mangalore City, 1,656 students in Mangalore Rural, 556 students in Moodbidri, 2,215 students in Puttur and 1,021 students in Sullia taluk will receive the sanitary pads.
“This year, we are giving a set of napkins to create awareness and awaken the consciousness of hygiene. However, in the year 2012-13, we have plans to distribute sanitary napkins for an entire year. For this, we have selected 126 Government Higher Primary Schools which has 8th standard in them. We plan to spend Rs 100 on each child,” says Shivprakash.
Napkin burners
Along with the use of napkins, SSA has already pre-planned on its safe disposal. “A manual burner has been kept in Karnody Dakshina Kannada Higher Primary School on experimental basis. We have plans to install burners in five more Higher Primary schools on pilot basis and 57 High Schools,” says Shivprakash and adds that there are plans to install burners in the remaining 120 Higher Primary schools if the project is a success.
Each school will be allotted Rs 5,000 to install a burner, he says.
‘Safety pads’
Isiri Self Help Group of Laila Gram Panchayat which has hit headlines for preparing eco-friendly ‘Safety pads’ has been given the order to prepare pads for the school children.
DK ZP Total Sanitation Officer Manjula reveals that the rural women have started the work. However, they have only one machine and the order is huge, she says. The order of providing sanitary napkins to 126 schools may be received in February after it is approved by the State Education Officer.
There are chances that the SHG may get an order to prepare napkins for students of government schools in the entire state. The SHG will also get orders to provide napkins to the Social Welfare Department Hostel, SC/ST Hostel, Backward and Minority Hostel under the Zilla Panchayat. “There are plans to install another machine and also increase the rate of pads,” says Manjula.
“This initiative will help students in maintaining hygiene especially in rural areas. It will also create employment for rural women. It will help the Isiri Self Help group to become economically viable,” says DK ZP CEO Dr K N Vijayprakash.
“Giving awareness about puberty and distributing pads is a very nice initiative. Many students do not know the usage of sanitary napkins. With the distribution of these, it will be easier for the teachers to explain the students about its usage and hence help in maintaining hygiene,” says Mullakadu DK ZP Higher Primary School Principal Chandravathi Rai.
Awareness books
With an aim to create awareness, SSA has already distributed books ‘Kelu Kishori’ and ‘Bhaya Padabaradu’ which explains about the changes that takes place in girls during puberty. The books along with informing, motivates students, removes fear and stresses on hygiene.
“The distribution of books was limited to 8th standard. However, this year the books have been distributed to classes 6 and 7 as well. As many as 19,100 books have been distributed this year,” said Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Assistant Coordinator Geetha Devdas.