Yes! Three Men sponsored my Menstrual Hygiene event. How cool is that? Nah, How amazing is that?!
Most of my friends who wrongly understand feminism think I am a man-hater, despite my numerous mentions of how tantalizing it is to find men who actually understand feminism!
Now, I dont know if the men who sponsored my event identify themselves as feminists. And, i dont care. Because, it just does not matter. Their actions are louder than words or any labels.
I have been working on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management promotion for two years now. This quote by Lila Watson sums up why I do what I do.
So, this MHM Day 2018, i just had to had to do an event. I work as the UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Consultant for Telangana State. Big names no? So, i was sure we would be able to pull off a big event meaning increasing our impact. But, sue to unforeseen reasons, funds weren't pooled on time and i was left with the choice of postponing the event or crowdsource. For me, postponing was not an option. Especially, when i have been planning for it since a month! So, i chose to do the latter.
I just made three calls.
First - Junaid Shah. My brother from another mother. Junaid is an ecopreneur himself and i knew he'd want to contribute towards sustainable menstruation. What i dint know was he'd be willing to contribute the entire amount! Junaid is the founder of 'Sustainida', an e-platform for eco-friendly products and is fascinated with sustainable menstrual products such as cloth pads and cups.
I had fundraised more than my event expenditure and was happy to send back remaining to Junaid (so that he can sponsor more events in the future :D).
And that is how three men sponsored my event on Menstrual Hygiene. All it took me was less than 10 minutes to find my sponsors in them. This year's theme was #NoMoreLimits and these guys meant it for me. Oh! I also had volunteers from Your Seheri team (again, all men) to do the photo/video documentation.
Our event was "Make your own cloth pad workshop" where 100+ women learnt this essential lifeskill and volunteered to become master trainers in future. One of the significant outcomes of the event was also a promise by all the decision makers to meet formally in the next one month and decide/plan future course of action. Awesome, isnt it?!
You men are all amazing and I'm so glad to have met you, known you and earn your trust.
Most of my friends who wrongly understand feminism think I am a man-hater, despite my numerous mentions of how tantalizing it is to find men who actually understand feminism!
Now, I dont know if the men who sponsored my event identify themselves as feminists. And, i dont care. Because, it just does not matter. Their actions are louder than words or any labels.
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| Event Banner |
I have been working on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management promotion for two years now. This quote by Lila Watson sums up why I do what I do.
"If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together"My liberation is tied up with every other young girl and woman who feels limited simply because her vagina bleeds (regularly or irregularly), with every woman who finds it difficult to navigate her way through the norms set and practiced under the guise of tradition and culture and with every woman who wants to free bleed but is forced not to under the guise of 'hygiene and sanitation'. We have a long way to go to realize the goal of 'empowering girls and women' on menstrual health and hygiene.
So, this MHM Day 2018, i just had to had to do an event. I work as the UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Consultant for Telangana State. Big names no? So, i was sure we would be able to pull off a big event meaning increasing our impact. But, sue to unforeseen reasons, funds weren't pooled on time and i was left with the choice of postponing the event or crowdsource. For me, postponing was not an option. Especially, when i have been planning for it since a month! So, i chose to do the latter.
I just made three calls.
First - Junaid Shah. My brother from another mother. Junaid is an ecopreneur himself and i knew he'd want to contribute towards sustainable menstruation. What i dint know was he'd be willing to contribute the entire amount! Junaid is the founder of 'Sustainida', an e-platform for eco-friendly products and is fascinated with sustainable menstrual products such as cloth pads and cups.
Thank you, Junaid!Second - Siddharth Illendula. Sid is a software engineer and a philanthropist as well. He generously donates to different causes and i wasn't sure if he'd be able to accommodate my request on a short notice. He had already donated his quota for month but had no qualms in increasing that quota to accommodate my request.
Thank you, Siddharth!Third - Satya Pramod. My friend from forever who read Adichie upon my request, who sponsored me when i was jobless so that i can continue to wander and find my calling, and who continues to believe in me. Whose belief, i must say, has been a pillar of support.
Thank you, Pramod!
I had fundraised more than my event expenditure and was happy to send back remaining to Junaid (so that he can sponsor more events in the future :D).
And that is how three men sponsored my event on Menstrual Hygiene. All it took me was less than 10 minutes to find my sponsors in them. This year's theme was #NoMoreLimits and these guys meant it for me. Oh! I also had volunteers from Your Seheri team (again, all men) to do the photo/video documentation.
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| showing off our cloth pads! |
Our event was "Make your own cloth pad workshop" where 100+ women learnt this essential lifeskill and volunteered to become master trainers in future. One of the significant outcomes of the event was also a promise by all the decision makers to meet formally in the next one month and decide/plan future course of action. Awesome, isnt it?!
You men are all amazing and I'm so glad to have met you, known you and earn your trust.
<3
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