In Khaniyabas, a small neighbourhood nestled in the hills of Dhading, 28-year-old Goma S. leads an active life: she goes to the market, attends meetings and works every day. Yet not so long ago, this rhythm was quietly interrupted every month. It is to remove this invisible obstacle that Karuna-Shechen is rolling out its hygiene project. It allows Goma and the women of her community to remain visible and engaged in village life, without interruption.
Breaking the taboo surrounding periods
Without access to adequate hygiene facilities, Goma had to make do with makeshift solutions every month, which were often precarious. « Before, while working, those cloths would sometimes slip or fall out », she recalls.
The use of torn and reused fabrics was one of the only options available to women, forcing them to withdraw from public life: girls missed school, while women disappeared from public life for several days each month.
For Goma, the impact of the project goes far beyond access to sanitary protection. Before this initiative, periods were synonymous with shame. Today, talking has replaced embarrassment. Goma bears witness to this transformation :
Since the beginning of this project, I have learned the importance of menstrual health and have shared this knowledge with others. Now, whenever a problem arises, we discuss it together to find a solution.
Her new knowledge has helped ease the anxiety she once felt. « Since having access to pads, I feel much more confident and comfortable going to work, the market, and participating in community programs », she shares.
But what moves Goma the most is the solidarity that has developed among the women during this learning process. « We helped each other by reminding each other when to change sanitary pads, what good practices to adopt and how to make sanitary pads at home. We even made sanitary pads for each other ». This knowledge is shared and passed on between friends, within households and throughout the community.
When women reclaim their place
The momentum generated by Goma and its neighbours is spreading throughout the Khaniyabas region. What began as a learning process in the early days has become a collective habit: women who were once isolated are now fully participating in local life.
This has benefited everyone, including women with disabilities, those with mental health issues and the most vulnerable families. The results are clear: girls are missing fewer days of school, while mothers are more regularly involved in their work and community projects. Above all, the heavy silence has given way to open discussions about menstruation.
Goma sums up this transformation:
A mother must be healthy and educated. Having willpower and skills makes life easier and healthier.
By taking control of their health, these women are no longer invisible. They can finally attend training courses without interruption, go to the market or make their voices heard at neighbourhood meetings. This ability to be there, every day of the month, is not a minor detail: it is the essential foundation on which their future is built.
Support women’s autonomy so that their periods are no longer a barrier
In other villages across India and Nepal, women are empowering themselves, passing on their expertise, and reshaping community dynamics. Read their stories and discover how, together, they are driving sustainable change in their environment.