2012 Training on Low Cost Sanitary Pad (Handmade) Production

2012
Training on Low Cost Sanitary Pad (Handmade)
Production
IRSP-Pakistan
3/4/2012
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Background:
In Pakistan, the subject of menstrual hygiene Managment is out of place at
all levels of society from home to government, if we do not find any
specific care on family level in majority of house hold for girls during
menstruation on the other hand federal sanitation policy does not address
MHM in specific manner. Lady health workers, the basic unit in Pakistan,
are not given any exclusive training on MHM by government. Branded
sanitary pads are too expensive to afford by common women in result
majority of them use unhygienic materials.
Keeping all this in view it has been strongly-willed to design trainings on
menstrual hygiene management and introduce low cost sanitary pads that
can be prepared and used easily without any financial hurdle by women of
all ages, areas and social set ups to fulfill their needs.
Objectives of the training were;
1. To encourage low cost sanitation technologies in Pakistan,
2. To generate acceptability in community for handmade sanitary
materials,
3. To include women from excluded community in a development
process,
4. To improve Menstrual hygiene practices in district Mardan
especially in women of excluded communities,
Location:
Trainings were conducted in a small community, comprised of 20
households, located in the premises of DHQ, Mardan, (hospital) .
Audience:
32 women of different ages, from 14 to 45 participated in the training;
there were married, unmarried, housewives, working women and students
in the audience.
The Training:
Training was comprised of 3 different sessions that were interlinked;
1. Introduction of IRSP and objectives of the training,
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2. Interactive session on Menstrual Hygiene Management,
3. Handmade Sanitary pad production
Introduction of IRSP
objectives of the training
and
Interactive session on Menstral
Hygiene Management
Handmade
production
Sanitary
pad
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Attendance:
After introduction of the trainers
and
participants,
participants
register their participation on
attendance sheet.
Introduction:
Though participant are well aware
of the organization as IRSP has
been working in the community
for last one year but formally
introduced by one of the
facilitators. Objectives of the
activity were explained as MHM
is one
of the most neglected
issues worldwide especially in
developing countries like Pakistan so IRSP decided to work on it in
district Mardan. Importance of low cost MHM technologies was also
highlighted.
Interactive
menstrual
management:
session
on
hygiene
An interactive session was conducted
with the participants for brain
storming, they were asked different
questions on the topic and they shared
their experiences with each other,
discussed their practices. The session worked as an ice breaker between
participants and the team.
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Handmade
production:
sanitary
pad
last but the most important session
was on sanitary pad preparation, first
the material was presented there in
order to make the participants
familiarize with it, material includes
1.
Cotton,
2.
Plastic sheet,
3.
Thread,
4.
Clean cotton cloth,
5.
Needles for stitching.
6.
Seizers for cutting clothe in to two pieces.
The process was, First of all, square piece of clean and cotton cloth should
be cut into two pieces of equal length and width, one need to be folded in
shape of pocket placed in mid of the other piece and then stitched from all
four sides. This is the most basic type which is recommended for younger
and newly adult girls. In the next step they were instructed to prepare a
pad with cotton and plastic sheet, both elements are kept in the folded
piece of cloth this is the improved form of the previous one. This one can
be proved as better absorbent.
Group activity:
One group activity was planned for
the participants, in which they
prepared sanitary pads themselves
with the help of material provided to
them by IRSP. After this activity they
understood very well that how to
prepare a pad.
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Feedback from the participants:
All
participants
gave
very
encouraging response to IRSP team;
that they will not just prepare such
pads in their homes but also convey
the process to their friends and
relatives.
Working women
appreciated the effort and told that
they will present it at their
workplace especially those who are
hospital employees.
Conclusion of the training:
After all sessions, feedback training concluded with the vote of thanks by
the trainer with the hope of more progress on MHM. Participants also paid
their gratitude for such informative and fruitful training and requested for
more discussion on the topic in future.
Lesson learnt during the training:
As there are huge strengths of students in girls’ schools and all of the
students cannot attend the training at the same time so;
1. There should be more advanced refresher courses for trainers also.
2. Process of handmade sanitary pad preparation should be presented in
pictures in form of a small booklet
3. Active women from communities should be selected, further trained
and organized in form of youth groups and women groups so that they
can work in their areas for improvement of MH practices and pad
production.
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Training Agenda
Preparation of Handmade low cost sanitary
pads
Time
Activities
Responsible
2:00_____2:05
Recitation
Participant
2:10_____2:20
Introduction
Participants + facilitators
2:25_____2:45
Introduction of the project
facilitator
2:50_____3:20
Menstrual hygiene
management
Handmade sanitary pads
preparation
Interactive session
Group Work
Participants
3:21_____3:45
3:46______3:00
Conclusion
facilitator