Digital Didi Changing Mindsets, Practices and Narratives
Associating with the program helped me realise the information darkness that I have lived with, and the restrictions that my silence is imposing on my daughters especially when they wish to discuss menstruation.
Owing to the patriarchal society that we live in, and the invisiblization and silence that has been maintained with regard to the topic of menstruation, adolescent girls and women are made to intrinsically feel menstrual shame, and develop a self-deprecating attitude towards one’s own bodies. Stemming from the urgent need to destigmatize menstruation, DEF launched the ‘Digital Didi’ programme to create awareness among adolescent girls and women in rural and semi-urban India about misconceptions and misinformation surrounding menstruation, and to communicate authentic information, facilitate access to sustainable menstrual products and better health infrastructure.
During one of the community meetings being conducted, Sangeeta Devi, from Berla Village in Alwar, said “I live here with my husband, 3 daughters and a son. When the opportunity of working as a Digital Didi came my way, I grabbed it because I could see the need for proper and factual information on menstrual health and hygiene in my community. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding menstruation here and no one talks about it. I felt motivated because of my daughter who is in her early teens and was made to feel isolated when she started menstruating a couple of years ago. Associating with the program helped me realise the information darkness that I have lived with, and the restrictions that my silence is imposing on my daughters especially when they wish to discuss menstruation. This reflection made me more adamant to work actively with women and girls on the topic of menstrual health, so that the gap in information could be erased. I have also used the Smartpad and found it more comfortable and soft. I even encouraged my daughter to use it, and live a more stress-free life, which is devoid of the fear of infection or pad-rash. The courses offered in the program were of utmost interest to my daughter and other girls of their age, who are more tech-savvy and internet friendly.”
DEF’s initiative is facilitating an understanding of menstrual health alongside producing a reusable ‘Smartpad’ to meet their sanitary needs. The program also enables digital literacy learning among adolescent girls and women to provide them with opportunities to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.
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