This program didn't start with us. It started when the Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) of Nepalgunj asked for it. FCHVs are local women who carry basic health care door to door across Nepal, and they told our partners at Conscious Connections Nepal (CCN) that the women they work with had never had proper training on menstrual and reproductive health. They also wanted to learn how to make reusable pads.

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Nepalgunj is a border town in the hot southern plains of western Nepal. Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Tharu and Madheshi families live side by side there, and many women rarely leave home for school or work. So in September, we  ran sessions with 117 women from local mothers' groups. It was the first time we had worked directly with Muslim and Madheshi communities, and the lead trainer Prema Shahi and Sushma Choudary were  graduates of the Training of Trainers program we ran  in 2024 and 2026.

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Most of these women were mothers, some of them were grandmothers, and almost none had ever been to a training like this. Several heard for the first time about the science behind how and when a pregnancy actually happens. They were fascinated to hear about that as many had gone through it.  When facilitator Prema Shahi passed around a menstrual cup and a tampon, nobody in the room had seen either before, and they wanted to know everything about them.

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The family planning session with Sushma turned into a real conversation. Women talked about their own copper IUDs, the pill, and sterilization experiences. Having a room full of women talk about their bodies felt so needed in a community where women are busy working and taking care of their children. ,

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We also talked about periods for women with disabilities and for trans men. That last one was completely new. People said they had LGBTQI+ neighbors but had never once discussed their lives. They listened carefully and asked good questions like the difference between trans and gay people.

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The women were polite through the theory, but the pad-making session with Jyoti Shrestha is when the room woke up. Most of them already knew how to cut and sew, so they got going quickly in small groups, helping each other and checking each other's stitching. Nobody there had made or used a reusable pad before. Most had used old cotton cloth or disposable pads their whole lives.

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The pads are made from fabric most households already have. We encouraged the women to keep practicing and, once they're confident, to sell pads in their community. For women who almost never earn their own money, that matters.

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In the group discussion, women told us they knew menstrual blood isn't dirty. But when we asked them directly, many still called it impure. That was a good reminder that beliefs taught over a lifetime don't change in a weekend.

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Alongside the training, we  invited 24 local religious leaders, health workers and ward officials to a one-day conversation about menstruation. In much of Nepal, bringing up periods in a group like this gets you silenced. All of the religious leaders were men, and to our surprise, they spoke openly.

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The Buddhist leader said menstruating women can do everything except join prayers and pujas (religious rituals). The Hindu leaders said women should stay separate, skip pujas and keep out of the kitchen. Across faiths, people mentioned not touching holy books like the Quran or the Bible for respect and reverence. Underneath all of it was the same fear: that something bad will happen to the family if the rules are broken.

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The head of the local health post gave the scientific view, and then something more personal. He said he doesn't put any restrictions on his wife, but she still sometimes skips puja for a few days because the fear is hard to shake. He also pointed out how things have shifted over time. Women used to rest outside the home during their periods because they felt weak. Over the generations that turned into Chhaupadi, the now-illegal practice of sending women out of the house because they are seen as impure.

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We closed the day by saying that menstruation is natural and life can't continue without it, that we respect people's beliefs, and that what we all want is better health and hygiene for women and girls.

A big thank you to the FCHVs of wards 4 and 9, every woman who came, and the religious leaders and local officials who were willing to sit down and talk.