I am humbled by your courage, Kiran Gandhi.
Thank you for bringing the subject of menstrual hygiene to light in such a real experience. Most of us women have spent at least 1 day sitting in class or in a restaurant on a date when we have gotten that warm, runny feeling between our legs. Then we start to wonder how we are going to get up and run to the bathroom without everyone around knowing that we just had “an accident.” No, I did not wet myself nor did I have any intestinal disaster, I just happened to over flow my tampon or menstrual pad. Why is this such a big deal when it has happened to every single woman on the planet, at least 1 time.
Bravo Ms. Gandhi, you ran the London Marathon and then posed for pictures with a smile on your face, which is the only thing that matters. You have given a face and voice to the millions of women living in poverty who do not have the basic supplies that will keep them in school as young girls and in their jobs as young women. You alone were brave enough to tell the world that you were menstruating on the day of the London Marathon and did not care who knew about it. It did not matter what your time was on that day, how well you did in the marathon, it only mattered that your bravery and strength will be the catalyst for other young women to stand up in solidarity with their sisters who suffer in silence across the globe.
This past February Project for a Village, Inc. distributed menstrual hygiene kits to 100 young women in rural Nepal. We were able to provide them with the tools to feel confident during their menstrual cycle. We are returning to Nepal in October and hope to provide menstrual kits to young women who were affected by the devastating earthquakes this past April and May. The kits, that are made by local women, contain flannel pads, under garments and soap in a cloth bag.
For more information about how to donate towards menstrual kits please see our website, www.projectforavillage.org