Expressnews
Chennai: AM Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Singapore-headquartered AM International Holdings Pte. Ltd (AMIH) recently launched the Happy Periods Project to educate young girls about menstrual hygiene. It was conceptualized and executed in partnership with Sanitation First India, which provides sustainable non-sewered sanitation solutions through individual, community, school and urban and semi-urban slum projects.
AM Foundation will partner with corporate members of AM International Holdings to implement the program through their respective CSR programs. Initially, the Project is a part of the CSR initiatives of Manali Petrochemicals Ltd (MPL), India’s only integrated manufacturer of polyols.
About the Happy Periods Project
Menstruation is associated with the onset of puberty among girls. However, mindsets, customs and societal biases often prevent them from getting proper knowledge to ensure better hygiene during this crucial phase.
The Happy Periods Project aims to bridge this awareness gap. The initiative aims to dispel the taboo and myths around menstruation among school-going students.
Commending the initiative, Ashwin Muthiah, Chairman, AM Foundation & MPL and Founder-Chairman, AM International Holdings, said, “Primary healthcare and sanitation, especially for women, are critical for the holistic development of our society. The Happy Periods Project focuses on women’s menstrual health, which is crucial to their well-being and family welfare. It is a positive step for preparing young girls for this important life-changing event.
I am confident that the initiative will provide scientific information and education on this subject. At AM Foundation, we are working towards enabling young girls to grow into healthy, educated, and empowered women.”
The Happy Periods Project will initially educate 24,000 students on menstrual, oral and personal health across 31 government schools in the Manali and Tiruvallur areas of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. In addition, 6,500 safe pads will be distributed to beneficiaries as a part of the programme. Dental kits, comprising a toothbrush, toothpaste and soaps, will also be distributed to 3,000 children.
‘Train the Trainer’ programme
The Happy Periods Project recognizes that training and motivation are critical for behavioral change to be permanent and sustainable. Therefore, a ‘Train the Trainer’ module has been designed to propagate the programme at grassroots levels. Teachers in the participating government schools and health workers across all AM Foundation-run Primary Health Care Centres (AMPHCC) will be trained as a part of the Project. In turn, they will impart hygiene training to students across beneficiary schools.
At a broader level, the Project will be a pathway for health workers to reach the other members of the society – school students will take the project content to their houses and, thereby, to the community.
The ‘Train the Trainer’ workshops aim to cover topics such as:
– Understanding adolescence
– Menstruation-related myths
– Its biological & physiological aspects and the level of awareness in society
– Proper use and disposal of sanitary materials
– Importance of awareness and education on menstruation for every individual and the community
As a part of the training, AM Foundation will also distribute relevant materials to enable the trainers to connect more effectively with the community and the adolescent girls across both schools.
Last month, the maiden ‘Train the Trainer’ workshop was conducted at the Happy Periods Project launch event. IndhraDesilva, COO, AM Foundation, Prabhakar Rangasamy, AGM – HR, MPL, Cyprian Paulraj, GM, AM Foundation, and Padma Priya, Chief Executive, Sanitation First, graced the occasion, among other dignitaries. Participants received material to take the training further and received a certificate to mark the training’s successful completion.
