In Action
Menstruation is a rich, multi-faceted experience that has social, cultural, economic, environmental, health, and gender dimensions. Eco Femme’s programmes and educational training modules have evolved in response to our growing understanding of the holistic nature of this experience along with the development of the menstrual health ecosystem in India and across the world.
Our programmes range from direct education on the basics of menstruation with adolescent girls and marginalised women right through to training facilitators and supporting educational ambassadors to take a stand for sustainable menstruation on behalf of the earth. We work with a growing network of grassroots NGO partners and educational ambassadors across India.
Our different programmes are:
- Pad for Pad: menstrual health education and free pad gifting programmes to adolescent girls
- Pads for Sisters: menstrual health education and process for introducing cloth pads to marginalised women. Cloth pads are discounted so as to be affordable
- Training of Trainers: Customised programmes to provide training to menstrual health facilitators/educators
- Adult Education seminars and workshops: Training programme for menstrual activists, educators and ambassadors who are interested in exploring the broader issues of women’s empowerment and socio-environmental change with sustainable menstruation as the gateway.
To see our partner locations and learn more about individual Pad for Pad and Pad for Sister Partners, visit our interactive partner map.
In addition to these different programmes, we have a thriving community of ambassadors within India and around the world who are voluntary grassroots advocates for healthy and sustainable menstruation. Meet them and learn of their motivation on our Ambassador page.
We have also gathered a wide range of research documents and resources which can be freely accessed to help educators and ambassadors speak confidently and accurately about menstruation in their communities.
At the core of Eco Femme’s educational approach are the following values:
- informed choice about menstrual products that promote health and well-being – for the individual, for the community and for the earth
- menstrual cycle literacy is taught and encouraged to promote relating to menstruation as a cyclical process that includes much more than the overt phase of bleeding.
- respect for culture recognising that cultural practices may hold meaning and significance – inquiry based conversations that distinguish safe from unsafe practices
- speaking from love of the earth and authenticity when teaching or sharing about menstruation and sustainable products – never guilt or shame!
- Responsive approaches to suit the context – there is no one size fits all approach or product and programmes are tailor made to suit the context.
Menstrual Product Analysis
In this video, Eco Femme co-founder Kathy describes the process for conducting menstrual product analysis in the field. You will understand the process for how to engage participants in a fun and insightful learning experience that helps them make well informed product choices taking multiple parameters into account.
This training video shows you how to conduct menstrual product analysis in real-time, guiding participants to reflect critically on 5 commonly used menstrual product options – disposable napkins, repurposed cloth, cloth washable pads, menstrual cups and tampons.
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