Supporting Rural Adolescent Girls' Education

Pride Moment for the Leaning Space Foundation

Indian CSR Award 2023

Best Women's Hygiene Project of the Year 2023

Learning Space Foundation (LSF) won the best project award for its 'SafeSpace' Girls' Restroom & Sanitation for Rural schools in the category of 'Best Women's Hygiene Project' - the award was presented by the Brand Honchos Group Indian CSR Awards to the Founder at LSF, Shri Nitin Orayan on 7th October evening at Hyatt Centric Hotel New Delhi.

We appeal to the large community of donors and NGOs working in the field of rural school sanitation and menstrual hygiene support to come forward and adopt this very useful project and implement it in many States and districts throughout the country.

Our research in this field has proven results showing that over 90% adolescent school girls in remote rural areas drop out of school or severely lose out on education due to inadequate restroom sanitation facility, so step forward and support the 'Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao' work through this project.

'SafeSpace' Girls Sanitation Project

This project aims to make hygienic sanitation facilities available to girls studying in Zilla Parishad high schools, in the remote areas of Wada-Bhiwandi. The project was launched in 2018 and has covered 24 schools so far in the Wada & Bhiwandi Talukas of Palghar district. It is in the process of covering 7 more in the Chimur Taluka of the Chandrapur district. The SafeSpace project provides a complete sanitation solution in the form of comfortable and user-friendly restrooms for female students in rural schools.

Problem situation

Adolescents (especially females) in remotely located village schools are not provided with basic hygiene and sanitation facilities. Female students on the verge of puberty in the 5th and 6th stds, are subject to repeated absenteeism due to lack of suitable facilities at school. Often, girls barely 12 or 13 years of age, are forced to walk all the way home after school, despite experiencing pre-menstrual difficulty or whilst menstruating. On the whole, there was a need to address this problem, and construct as well as suitably furnish restrooms with bathroom & WC, in the comfort of a private space within the school premises. On the other hand, there is taboo regarding the topic of menstruation, where adolescent girls are not supported by anyone at home or school. As a result, this creates unnecessary stress and uncertainty, and in extreme circumstances, absenteeism or withdrawal from school completely. Over a period of 3-4 years, LSF worked on building a holistic solution to confront the problem.

Components of the solution

Equipping village schools with a permanent restroom alongside complementary facilities.
Distributing sanitary pads along with a capacity building program for ‘best use of sanitary pad’.
Health checkup camp held at school for all girls.
Training in personal hygiene, nutrition and knowledge of the female reproductive system.
Door to door support offered by a trained volunteer within the village to ensure regular home mentoring visits & feedback from the beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries and Areas of Intervention

In rural schools, there are a lack of basic hygiene and sanitation facilities for girls. This starts to matter the most when girls reach puberty. More often than not, they have to miss school during their period of menstruation. Not only students, but female teachers also struggle to have their needs met. As the students are from underprivileged families, struggling to survive, female hygiene is not a priority.

Rural schools in under-developed areas lack toilet blocks and bathrooms. This project involves the construction of approximately 225 to 250 sq. ft. restrooms at schools in dire need. Counselling sessions, distribution of sanitary napkins, sessions on menstrual health management and several health check-up camps are held to create awareness regarding the need for facilities.

Impact

The project enables rural female students to access a complete sanitation solution while attending school. Through improved awareness of personal hygiene, this will result in good habits, better menstrual health and improved attendance at school.

Features of the Restroom

Has a separate functional WC and Bathroom, only for girls.
Allows privacy and personal space for girls undergoing menstrual periods, relieving their menstrual stress and diffidence to attend school during menstruation.
Equipped with facilities which offer resting, reading, drinking water, spare uniform, medical first aid kits, full length mirrors, lights & fans.

Immediate outcomes of the project among beneficiaries

Presence of a clean and functioning WC and bathroom has created a sense of security.
Increased attendance at school has helped improve academic performance.
Improved self-esteem amongst female students.
The girls have learnt to take responsibility of the facility by committing to keeping it clean and tidy.
Girls have learnt to use sanitary pads and to use them regularly.
There is much more awareness about menstrual hygiene, do’s and don’ts, nutrition, and personal care.
The girls have voiced their personal transformation.