Freedom Kit Bags provide eco-friendly, sustainable, hygienic sanitary wear for women in Nepal. The kit bags are made in Nepal and distributed free to women and girls.
The charity believes having access to sanitary wear is something women in the developed world can take for granted, yet Menstrual Hygiene Management is an alien concept for many women (and men) living in Nepal.
They explain that life is hard, especially for those who live a rural life, and for women and girls this ‘gift’ of nature is an extra heavy burden to bear without proper care and understanding.
In 2021 the Randal Charitable Foundation provided grant funding for menstrual hygiene kit bags to 400 women and girls. These will be delivered alongside education about the facts of menstruation to women and men, to girls and boys.
Explaining the huge impact which the Freedom Kit Bags have on the women who received them, a charity spokesperson said: “The problem is that women do not have access to decent sanitary protection and few have ever been taught why menstruation happens. I have been in villages where the women are shocked to hear that all women across the world have periods. Most rural and low-income Nepalese women ‘free-flow’ or use old polyester saris or old cloths. They are often not washed and dried properly – a breeding ground for bacteria. Can you imagine how that must be?”
“The saddest problem is that in some communities women in Nepal are ostracised, punished, shamed and blamed purely for menstruating, a natural biological necessity. Lots of teenage girls stop going to school, they fall behind and after a while stop school altogether. But let’s be positive, this project started by men asking us to help the women – things can change, they are changing.”
The Freedom Kit Bags offer an immediate solution to coping with the physical manifestations of menstruation. They offer cleanliness, comfort and dignity. A proper understanding of what is happening and why, helps to break down taboos, builds respect and enables women and girls to fully participate in the life of the community.
To find out more about Freedom Kit Bags visit here.
