Youth Project Impact stories

ELIZABETH MANNGAIMAWI (Westin)

Elizabeth Manngaihmawii Tonsing is 25 years old. She lives with her parents and nine siblings they in Imphal Manipur. Elizabeth has completed twelve standards in the year of 2007, though she wanted to continue her studies, her parents were not able to support all their children’s education. Elizabeth started searching for job but she was not able to get, so she started to sell clothes and get little income from their home in Manipur. She understood the family condition and work hard to support her younger siblings. After hearing that, there is opportunity  that Mera Parivar can help find Hotel Industry training course for six month without any expenses, she decided to came to Gurgaon and joint the trainings, she was selected in Westin, Gurgaon, her training is going to start on July. Meanwhile, she did not have any place to stay. So, she came to Mera Parivar office and help some of the works. She stays in one of the staff’s house in New Delhi because she did not have anywhere else to go. She came down because she was promised to provide free accommodation and food. She is thrill to join the training. She thanks Mera Parivar for doing placement for young people and helping her in times of her needs. Even while waiting for the training.

LALDAWANA (Oberoi)

Mr. S.Laldawana is 22 years old, he is active, smart and work oriented person. He is also a very responsible person and wanted to develop his career within the framework, where he could contribute and be able to contribute to the needs. He has completed his 12^th class. Due to financial problems he decided to look for job and came to New Delhi, He now live in Uttam Nagar. While he was looking for the opportunity, he came across to the Mera Parivar regarding the Hotel Industry Trainings partnership with five star hotel in Gurgaon . So, he decided to come for interview and if selected joint the course. As he came, he was selected to do his training in Oberoi Hotel and has began in the month of May. He is thankful that he could get this opportunity to be train and be able to start building his career in the Hotel Industry.

 CHONMICHAN (Oberoi)

 

Miss Chonmichan is 25 years old, who is sincere, innocent, supportive and determine. She has been dreaming to develop her career, where she can contribute and get stable income to support her family and self. She completed her 12th class and could not continue her studies due to financial crisis in her family. So, she decided to come out from home and get job in the city and she came to Delhi looking for job. It was difficult for her to get proper job and she struggles for many years. Finally, she came to know through her friend about the Hotel Management Training by Mera Parivar and  five star hotel partnership . She joint the training in Oberoi Hotel  from the month of May.  She is looking for better future and willing to try her best to accomplish the training. Believing that she can be a helpful person and dependable for her family. She feels privilege joining this training and be thankful to Mera Parivar for organizing placement for youth which also includes me and help me get the opportunity to finally get into this training.

 Contact : Mera Praivar

 email:meraparivar@gmail.com

28 May, Menstrual Hygiene Day

28 May, Menstrual Hygiene Day

On the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day, Mera Parivar & Thr Helping Hand(THH)  organized an awareness on “Breaking the Taboo” with over 500 teenage school girls of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Jackabpura in Gurgaon, Haryana State, India.  The girls were students of Class VI to Class X. They are girls age between 12 – 18 years.

The girls giggled when Mera Parivar  & The Helping Hand Team began talking about menstruation. Most of them were shy and were not responsive about the subject. They were curious but did not open up. Towards the end of the day, the girls slowly began to whisper among them-selves and eventually started responding and asking questions.

 

The topics discussed with the girls were    

·         What is Menstruation

·         What is Menstrual Hygiene Management ( MHM)

·         About the campaign “breaking the taboo”

·         Restrictions, myths and taboos associated with menstruation.

Some of the response and question were:   

·         Girls wanted to know more about menstruation – what they should do about heavy flow or less flow etc

·         They said that were restricted from doing certain things such as visiting the temple or not to take certain food such as Achaar ( Indian food)

·         The Girls said that they do not miss their class during menstruation

·         Many of the girls reveal that they did not share any kind of difficulties or problems such as cramps, stomach pain during menstruation with their parents, nor asked them about anything about menstruation.   

  

Objective of the MHM awareness with teenage girls.    

·         To create awareness among young girls

·         To make them understand about their own body

·         To motivate and encourage them to break the taboo around Menstruation

·         To empower young girls to come out of their silence

·         For healthy growth of young girls physically and mentally

·         To take forward the Beak the Taboo campaign

Significance of the Day – May 28

May is the 5th month of the year, representing 5 days, or the average number of days (between 2-7) a woman or girl spends menstruating each month. And, 28 represent the average number of days in a menstrual cycle.

MHM and Mera Parivar & The Helping Hand :

Women empowerment is one of the key focus areas of Mera Parivar & THH .  While taking up empowerment process such as skill building and income generation for the women, Mera Parivar  THH is continuously engaged in creating awareness and advocacy on women’s rights.

Though women in urban set up like Gurgaon know about menstruation and use of sanitary napkins, women are not aware of the need to break the taboo surrounding menstruation. Women in Gurgaon like any other women in India or across the world believe in the taboos and restriction associated with menstruation. In Gurgaon and India at large a menstruating woman is considered “impure” and therefore is restricted from performing certain duties and work, such as “puja” – performing religious rites and worship or entering a temple. They were also restricted to touch males with the belief that it will “impure” the males. More over a menstruating woman is restricted from eating certain food such as Achar (Indian canned foods) with a belief that it will harm the body. 

In his situation Mera Parivar & THH  finds that it is extremely important to take up awareness and advocacy for breaking the silence over the restrictions imposed over menstruation.

Moreover since it is associated with bodily discharge it is also extremely important to associate the awareness with cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene. 

 The MHM campaign is therefore a right to education about menstrual hygiene. It is also about right to sanitation and sufficient water.

The MHM campaign is also about the right to health. It is further linked to girls and women’s physical, social and mental well being. Empowerment and right to education on menstrual hygiene and breaking the restriction will further enhance their capacity and potential. This will eventually increase their productivity, helping women to be able to work more and even earn more, thus helps in their economy and living standard.

Education on menstruations, menstrual hygiene helps to dispel myths, stigmas and negative perceptions about menstruation. Bringing girls for interactions and discussion about menstruation helps them understand about themselves, their own body and actually empower them to take decision on their own body. 
 We acknowledge Johnson & Johnson for providing all logistic help 

www.meraparivar.org & The Helping Hand

email-meraparivar@gmail.com

#267, Sec-14, Gurgaon – Haryana, India