Lamjung, May 23

Girl students at Gangamilan Secondary School in Marsyandi Rural Municipality have been attending the school on a regular basis after it started providing them with sanitary pads.

The school managed the pads for girl students after teaching learning activities were affected as  the girl students refrained from attending school during menstruation. Almost all girl students remained absent during their monthly cycle. However, they felt comfortable attending the school after it started providing them with sanitary pads during school hours. “We no longer have to be absent during our period after the school administration managed sanitary pads for us,” said a beaming ninth grader, Manita Gurung.  She explained how before the new arrangements by the school, they missed three to four classes during menstruation.

According to School Management Committee Chairman Lekman Gurung, girl students have to contact women teachers for pads. A local non-government organisation had donated pads to the school a few months ago to benefit around 150 girl students. Girl students have requested the school administration to give continuity to its  sanitary pad programme, according to Gurung.