‘Period Fellow’ Mishra wants menstruation leave policy for female workers in MP
   Date :28-May-2022

Period Fellow 
 
 
 
By Ankita Garg
With women in rural areas of Madhya Pradesh reluctant to talk about menstruation, Satyam Mishra from Madatghar Welfare Society is on a mission to educate people about menstrual hygiene. He is the first Period Fellow working in slum area of Bhopal. His life was changed after he read a report on death of women due to poor menstrual hygiene while working on sexual reproductive health.
Satyam Mishra carries passion and grit to do something extraordinary. He says, “Menstruation is something people do not talk about normally while they prefer to talk in private.”
He is working in slums of Pipali Bhopal in Labour Colony. The community has more than 500 houses. He interacts with men, adolescent boys, women to empower women and make them aware of menstruation hygiene. He said sanitary napkins can be provided by any organisation to the women but need to be well aware of its use. They should know that they will not get sick also will be independent. He has also tried to build something new first ever Rap song on periods, “Maun” that was released on February 14, 2022. The song attracted various likes and become popular among people. Now he is working to start period wall campaign. Celebrating the Menstruation Hygiene Day on May 28, he took female from slum areas on dinner to raise awareness among them.
“We have also started toll free no Hello Sathi where they can solve queries related to menstruation. They can seek guidance on hygiene, medical advice, etc,” added Satyam Mishra. He further informed that there is also fellowship programme launched in Madhya Pradesh where three youths are working in rural areas of State. They visit slum areas and discuss menstruation related issues with women. They also take session with their children in schools and discuss the matter with their husbands to help them in maintaining hygiene.
Two other period fellows are working there in Jhabua and Vidisha to raise awareness among families towards menstruation hygiene in women. Period Fellow Swati working in Vidisha says she talks about period date, duration, how to maintain, duration of using each pad and medical issues. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’ Satyam says, “I am making my best effort to make Madhya Pradesh second State in India to have period leave policy for female workers. At present, only Bihar has the policy of period leave.”