Swarnima Bhattacharya is the founder of TheaCare, a platform that provides long-term care for menstrual, hormonal, and mental health for women. Additionally, she is the Curator of FemmeCon, India's first women's health festival. She is part of the Youth Advisory Board for Unilever's "Self-Esteem Project", an Impact Officer at World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Community in New Delhi, and Astra Zeneca Young Health Scholar.
Read MoreDuring this, our team presented a list of films where menstruation was depicted, analyzing the accuracy and sensitivity of each depiction. From being associated with horror to being poorly used as a comedic tool, periods in media have sometimes further contributed to the stigma that already exists around this taboo topic.
However, the media holds great power to break the stigma around periods. This is why the depiction of menstruation in the media is so pivotal.
Read MoreWe connected with 16 speakers from 3 countries including activists, community specialists, entrepreneurs, innovators, non-profit organizations, and young professionals to talk on Menstrual Hygiene, Taboos, rural communities' perspectives, entrepreneurial ideas, and successful entrepreneurs for menstrual products, disaster planning, and refugee girls’ challenges, menstrual cup usage, stress and anxiety during menstruation, the path ahead for menstrual hygiene in Pakistan.
Read MoreWe showed the rural participants a sanitary pad and explained how long it could be used for and showed the way to dispose it off properly. We also spoke about how its improper disposal could harm the environment.
Read MoreMenarche, or the first menstrual bleeding, is a major occurrence in the lives of girls, but it is often misinterpreted in rural areas as an indication that a girl is ready for marriage because she is growing up. Raaji has been invited to lead the activist workshop on Menstrual Health Awareness, and engage with over 50 community leaders/members, including Community Bookkeepers and Resource Persons from various villages within the Kamber-Shahdadkot district of rural Sindh.
Read Moreis the lack of affordable and accessible period products the only reason keeping girls away from school? In a survey we conducted in February 2021, 89% of respondents (mothers of adolescent girls) shared that girls as young as 9 to 11 who start menstruating for the first time become emotionally, psychologically, and physically ready for marriage.
Additionally, 72% of respondents shared that menarche also calls for a change to their dressing (taking up the hijab) and learning homemaking skills (e.g cooking and cleaning). When a girl is told at such an early age by her parents that she is ready for marriage, and will be married off as soon as possible, will her education be supported or encouraged by the same parents? Can she afford to go to school on her own if she wills to do so after her period?
Read MoreCommunity Resource Persons (CRPs) are in charge of conducting awareness sessions in their rural areas related to issues like mother and child healthcare, health and hygiene, nutrition, birth spacing and much more. But this was the very first time when these CRPs were participating in focus group discussions on menstrual health and its importance.
Read MoreDiscovered several menstruation-related misconceptions like avoid taking a shower, skipping school, and feeling embarrassed during these days. Some of the participants agreed with the myths, stating that showering after three days could be beneficial for menstruation and health.
Read MoreWith 44 women leaders, we began our methodology of using personal narratives, Q&A, shared storytelling, and technology-driven curriculum to talk about the basics of menstruation.
Read MoreSharing our own menarche story really allows other people to open and share their experiences as well. We tried that technique interspersed with small facts about menstruation and the societal/anthropological/biological perceptions around it.
Read MorePersonal anecdotal experiences were coupled with medical, biological, physical and psychological wellness-related questions and dialogues such as menstrual cycles, PMS, symptoms, illnesses, infections, side-effects, medical histories, as well as traditional remedies and treatments.
Read MoreAn enlightening conversation among the females who are differently abled while sharing their experiences, stories and suggestions.
Read MoreWhile girls and women still menstruated anxiously under lockdowns and without access to any products, the only hygiene everyone was concerned for and about was covid-related.
Read MoreNarratives from around the world when it comes to menstruation are still in the shadows. What can inclusive, diverse storytelling and filmmaking do to change these perspectives?
Read MoreEver since Corona struck the world, we have seen each community bear it’s impact differently. So, curious to find out how the world of Femtech (finding women’s health solutions through the use of technology) was taking the hit we decided to go live.
Read MoreLast week, I got to witness the magic created by Saba and Jaya at Aurat Raaj. It was my third day joining the team as their Social Media Lead and got to support the team in its first Menstrual Education & Gender Equality focused pilot in 2020 at The Garage School. Aurat Raaj is an ambitious Pakistani start-up that wants to empower girls by educating them about their health.
Read MoreData Science has been making waves in the world for the past few decades - from data based decision making & recommendation systems to transforming how we shop, make investments, or detect diseases.
Personally, I am most intrigued by applications of Data Science & AI in the social impact domain to address the UN Sustainable Goals. Organizations like DataKind, DSSG, Data for Good & Correlaid are a few of many entities working on public & non-profits data to make AI based solutions impacting millions of lives
Read MoreDesign thinking. Innovation. Moonshots. They all sound spectacular when you are in a fancy incubator, startup or a hackathon but can the same concept of problem-solving be brought to one of the most disadvantaged and remote regions of Pakistan?
Read MoreToday I happened to have one of my most difficult meetings. Convincing any one from the traditional non-profit sector (especially leaders past the age of 50) in Pakistan especially those who have worked for decades with rural communities and urban slums that technology could assist their jobs and make it easier for them to reach their beneficiaries in a more efficient, engaging or scalable way is really tough. Very few are excited about the potential to test or pilot something new but majority feel very uneasy.
Read MoreSince last year, I have gotten the chance to sit through various pitches given by entrepreneurship students at Pakistani universities. I've also been fortunate to have been part of local mentoring programs as well as international ones. I've heard ideas from the brightest youth coming from around the world and made notes and comparisons about our current standing.
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