Bleed In Peace

1. 71% of adolescent girls are unaware of menstruation before they begin their first periods, making menstrual illiteracy a rampant issue in India
2. Socio-cultural beliefs often perpetuate stigmas that restrict the social mobility of menstruators and bind them to a life of shame and guilt as they portray menstruation as ‘dirty’ and ‘impure’
3. Menstruators are kept from entering the kitchen, washing their hair or bathing themselves and even kept from going to school/colleges and workplaces while on their periods
4. Dependence on other earning members of their families, usually males or the prominence of male salesmen constrain menstruators from fulfilling their menstrual needs.
5. An NFHS 4 report has stated that 52% of rural menstruators rely on homemade alternatives like rags and old pieces of scrap cloth to manage menstruation
6. The inability of accessing menstrual care products aggravates negative notions about a natural, involuntary bodily process that scar the emotional, mental and physical well-being of a menstruator 

We conduct menstrual education workshops under our flagship campaign Bleed In Peace. Following a lifecycle approach, the workshops start with a focused group discussion which helps us gauge a community’s belief systems and perceptions of menstruation.

The educational sessions include:

1. Basic tenets of menstrual health and hygiene
2. Puberty, the menstrual cycle and methods to track one’s periods
3. Managing PMS
4. Analysis of the various menstrual products available in the market
5. The basics of sexual and reproductive health and much more

Sneak a peek at our period care kits

Period Pustak, an activity book designed by Paint It Red utilises illustrations and experiential learning. By incorporating SEL frameworks, it invites interaction and engages young menstruators to have a more hands-on experience while learning about menstruation.

We conduct these workshops with:

1.Young menstruators in schools and colleges

2.Menstruators from semi-urban, rural and tribal communities

3.Local government bodies and NGOs working in the fields of MHM, sexual and reproductive health rights and gender issues

1. We wish to reach 5000 menstruators in the year 2022- 2023, through Bleed In Peace
2. Build a more positive, tolerant perception of menstruation, one that does not recognise menstrual blood as impure, nor perpetuate stigmas around menstruation. 
3. We endeavour to make the menstrual health space more inclusive. We intend to start dialogue and address the unique menstrual needs of those from the LGBTQIA+ communities and people with disabilities

We plan on making menstrual health resources like our Period Pustak available in braille and have trained Menstrual Educators who can use sign language to conduct our educational workshops. We aim to address larger issues like iron deficiency and anaemia by creating comprehensive awareness programs for menstruators. Ultimately, we want our beneficiaries to become cognizant of their body and empowered to fight for their menstrual health rights!