Kathmandu, May 23

Rajaram Basnet, 16, a tenth grader, has become a hero at Mahendra National Secondary School in Baluwatar after starting a social initiative, that is, providing sanitary napkins to girls in his school.

“In our school, girls frequently miss classes when they are menstruating,” said Basnet, adding, “They feel humiliated in front of their male classmates when they have difficulties during their periods, and are too embarrassed to communicate these issues with even female teachers.”

When Basnet became aware of the problem his female schoolmates face regularly, he set out to convince teachers and parents to start this project through the children’s club in the school.

Basnet is the president of the children’s club in the school.

Principal Dev Raj Gurung said that the government school does not have necessary funds to support this initiative, so the club collects a small amount every week from students and teachers.

The club also maintains dustbins and sufficient water supply in the toilets of the school, and there are plans to build a female-friendly toilet in the school.

The sanitary napkins are distributed to female students by a female teacher so that they may feel more comfortable.

Anita Dhakal, the teacher responsible for distributing sanitary napkins said, “This practice has become very effective, and raised the confidence of girls in our school.”