Breaking the Silence: “Let’s Talk Periods!” Transforms Menstrual Health Education in Nepal

In Nepal, conversations around menstruation are often shrouded in stigma and silence, leaving many adolescent girls without the knowledge or resources to manage their periods safely and confidently. Through the project “Let’s Talk Periods!”, Ms. Anupa KC and the Okraland Humanitarian Foundation are working to change that by educating students and teachers in public schools, challenging harmful taboos, and promoting menstrual health and hygiene with the support of a grant from The Pollination Project.

In Nepal, menstruation remains cloaked in silence, shame, and harmful social taboos, with adolescent girls often facing stigma, isolation, and a lack of resources to manage their periods with dignity. Recognizing these deep-rooted challenges, Ms. Anupa KC of the Okraland Humanitarian Foundation launched “Let’s Talk Periods!”, a six-month awareness initiative aimed at dismantling the stigma and empowering public school students and teachers in the Kathmandu district. The project sought to normalize menstruation as a natural biological process through education, open conversation, and the creation of supportive spaces within schools. By fostering menstrual health and hygiene management (MHM) awareness and distributing eco-friendly sanitary pads, the program addressed both the cultural and practical barriers that hinder girls’ health and education.

With the support of a grant from The Pollination Project, the initiative reached a major milestone, bringing menstrual education to over 500 students and teachers across three public schools. Initially, both students and teachers hesitated to engage with the topic, reinforcing how deeply taboo the subject remains. Even male teachers questioned the need for boys to learn about menstruation. However, through repeated sessions, personal testimonies, and consistent support from the Okraland team and allied educators, the atmosphere began to shift. Students gradually opened up, shared personal stories, and actively discussed the harmful social practices surrounding menstruation. The TPP grant not only enabled this transformation through educational workshops but also facilitated the distribution of sustainable menstrual products and the formation of “Let’s Talk Periods” clubs, peer-led groups designed to keep the conversation going and create lasting behavioral change.

The future of “Let’s Talk Periods!” is rooted in sustainability and youth empowerment. Members of the newly formed school clubs, made up of students from grades 5 through 10, will receive further training to become menstrual health ambassadors within their schools and communities. This peer-to-peer model ensures that the conversation about menstrual hygiene continues to grow, led by students who are reshaping norms from within. By equipping the next generation with knowledge and confidence, the Okraland Humanitarian Foundation is laying the groundwork for a cultural shift, one where menstruation is no longer a source of shame, but a topic discussed with openness, dignity, and pride.

Anupa KC

Anupa KC is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability in Nepal. As the coordinator of the Okraland Humanitarian Foundation (OHF), she leads community-driven initiatives focused on menstrual hygiene management and youth education. Anupa holds a bachelor’s degree in International Environment and Development Studies from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and a master’s degree in Rural Development from Tribhuvan University. Her work is deeply rooted in personal experience, having faced menstrual stigma firsthand. Today, she channels that experience into empowering girls and boys to understand puberty, challenge taboos, and manage menstruation with dignity. Anupa is also committed to promoting eco-friendly alternatives to disposable sanitary pads, recognizing their environmental impact. Through leadership development programs and grassroots activism, she continues to be a strong voice for social change and sustainable development in her community.

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