Local charity helps to donate over 17,000 menstruation ‘Freedom Kit Bags’ to communities in Nepal

By Jessica Durston jessica@positive-media.co.uk

Dr Rosa Matheson and Dr Ian Matheson from the Friends of Angel’s Orphanage charity have announced that over 17,000 Freedom Kit Bags have been distributed to girls and women in Nepal.

The Freedom Kit Bags (FKB) consist of three pad-holders, 12 two-layer pads, six inserts, three panties, a carry purse, a water-proof bag for used pads, a soap bag and soap, a washing line and pegs and a bag made from recycledsaris to keep everything together.

These bags are intended to last the user for three or more years.

The project was started when Rosa and Ian visited

Kathmandu and met a Nepalese woman – Beni Rani Ghale - who was making ‘pads’ for girls at the small school in her village.

Rosa said the lack of period protection means many girls in Nepal have an interrupted education at best, or drop out of education completely.

Rosa and Ian looked at Beni’s kits and found they were inadequate for getting women through their monthly period.

Rosa said: “From the feedback we received from hundreds of women and girls, we then modified the kits five times.

“Many girls and women describe it as ‘the best gift in the world’ or ‘the best gift I will ever have’. The Kit Bags are about more than just ‘periods’.”

As well as delivering these kits, the FKB team have trained ambassadors to give educational sessions to teach girls, boys, women and men, how to use the bags, and the facts about menstruation.

The sessions aim to remove any negative stigma and myth-bust.

Rosa added: “We are proud to say that we have now distributed 17,000 plus Freedom Kit Bags to women and girls, free-of-charge. That equates to 663,000 periods or 2,983,500 ‘Days of Dignity.’ We say ‘If you help the woman you help the family’, and if you help the family, you help the community – and that means many more thousands can be helped too.”

The Freedom Kit Bags cost £25 and the Paypal account can be found at www. paypal.com/uk/fundraiser/ charity/3617787

Rosa’s column detailing the story of FKB from formation to the 17,000 milestone can be found at swindonlink. com/charity/rosa-mathesoncolumn-freedom-kit-bags