Disability and LGBTQI+ Perspectives on Menstruation

Written by Lisa Bower, Board Member

In May 2024, CCF supported a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop (see Part I and Part II) that brought together diverse voices from across Nepal to deepen understanding and expand impact in menstrual hygiene management (MHM). While participants praised the practical information and skills gained, many also cited the true value of the training in the rich diversity of attendees and the powerful connections formed.

A particularly meaningful aspect of the workshop was the inclusion of participants from the LGBTQI+ community and individuals with disabilities—groups whose voices are often left out of mainstream MHM conversations. Lead trainer Anupa Regmi shared, “The training helped participants better understand the experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals, encouraging empathy and inclusivity.” She also highlighted the importance of participants with disabilities sharing their lived experiences, noting that “people around them lack awareness” of the unique challenges they face in MHM.

“We Empathized with Each Other”

Pratichhya Chapagain

ToT participant Pratichhya Chapagain is a human rights defender who is visually impaired and part of the LGBTQI+ community. With more than 7 years of experience in human rights, Pratichhya fights for the inclusion of women with disabilities and diverse experiences in government policy. Pratichhya’s work spans inclusive early childhood education, policy advocacy, gender-based violence, and leadership development for women with diverse disabilities.

Pratichhya Chapagain (left) with the President of Rainbow Disability Nepal
(Photo Credit: Rainbow Disability Nepal)

The MHM training was not a new topic for Pratichhya, but she appreciated the opportunity to hear different perspectives on menstruation, which she said helped reinforce that menstruation is a natural process that “we have to celebrate and learn how to manage it properly.” Reflecting on the ToT, she noted the value of hearing diverse experiences and emphasized the warmth and honesty with which participants engaged: “People spoke from their hearts, and from very difficult experiences. They interacted very well and empathized with each other’s problems. I have different issues, they have different issues. We empathized with each other.”

Disability and Menstruation

For many women with disabilities in Nepal, managing menstruation is not only a personal challenge—it is a systemic one. Physical barriers, lack of inclusive infrastructure, and deeply rooted stigma make it difficult to manage menstruation with safety, privacy, and dignity. Homes and public spaces often lack wheelchair-accessible washrooms, leaving individuals with mobility impairments struggling to change menstrual products or maintain basic hygiene.

“Since the government of Nepal has not developed or prioritized MHM policies for people with disabilities, families struggle to provide adequate support,” shared CCN Director Kesang Yudron. The absence of disability-friendly materials and facilities continues to be a major gap in the country’s menstrual health landscape.

These issues are compounded for individuals with visual or intellectual disabilities. Pratichhya shared, “Visually impaired women have complained to me in various training sessions that whenever they go to any medical shop… to purchase sanitary pads, they are often given expired pads,” noting that one woman developed an infection as a result. She emphasized the need for well-designed and accessible washrooms, along with educational materials—manuals, videos, and audio resources—tailored to a range of disabilities.

Cultural taboos like chhaupadi (see Part I) intensify these challenges, particularly in rural areas where access to menstrual products is already scarce. For women with intellectual or sensory disabilities, the lack of customized support and stigma can lead to further exclusion and harm as they struggle to understand and navigate menstruation.

Tulasa Karki knows this reality firsthand. Born with a physical disability affecting her arms, Tulsa grew up in a low-income household where medical care and education were out of reach. When she first began menstruating, she was terrified. Because of her physical limitations, she needed help with essential tasks—using the toilet, bathing, and changing clothes. During menstruation, these needs became even more urgent.

But instead of support, she was often met with shame. “People around me showed disgust and hesitation,” she said. Finding someone willing to help her change pads was a constant struggle. At times, she was forced to wear the same pad for over 24 hours, risking infection and enduring preventable discomfort.

This year, Tulasa received a one-day menstruation training led by Pampha Purkoti, a participant in the May 2024 ToT supported by CCF.

Tulasa karki

“Through the support of CCF, I received training on menstrual hygiene management for women with disabilities. The training was incredibly effective.” For the first time in Tulasa’s life, she received education on menstrual health.

Photo Credit: Tulasa Karki

Tulasa’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when education, empathy, and access come together—and of the urgent need to center disability inclusion in all MHM efforts.

LGBTQI+ Perspectives

For transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals, menstruation can also be an isolating and distressing experience. Rigid gender norms and a lack of inclusive services in Nepal often leave them navigating menstruation in secrecy or shame. Accessing appropriate menstrual products and facilities can be difficult, especially when public restrooms and healthcare services are strictly gendered. This intersection of menstrual stigma and gender identity can lead to heightened feelings of exclusion and mental health strains.

During the ToT, LGBTQI+ participants courageously shared their stories. As CCN Director Kesang explained, “The LGBTQI participants shared insights about gender roles, particularly highlighting how trans men face questioning when purchasing menstrual pads. They also discussed how trans men often avoid seeking medical care for reproductive issues due to the lack of gender-friendly hospitals in Nepal. Additionally, they emphasized how their appearance affects their opportunities in society, leading to limited growth and low self-esteem.”

Pratichhya added that access to gender-neutral bathrooms is crucial in Nepal, and noted that many transmasculine individuals struggle with menstruation, especially when it conflicts with their gender identity. “It is very difficult for trans men who are transmasculine who don’t want to menstruate,” she said, stressing the importance of psychosocial care and counseling to support transgender individuals dealing with depression.

Hear directly from one Samyog KC, another ToT participant, on this issue:

Looking Forward

The ToT was a reminder of what’s possible when marginalized voices are invited in—not just as participants, but as future leaders and change agents. Pratichhya emphasized the importance of continuing to include diverse participants from different backgrounds and experiences, particularly people with disabilities, in future MHM trainings. Pratichhya stated, “It is important to educate women on menstrual hygiene, to become leaders of their own communities to advocate about MHM strategies.” She called for more “practicably implementable strategies for making MHM an easy process for visually impaired persons” and MHM materials, including documents, videos, and audios that better cater to a range of disabilities.

MHM ToT Participants, May 2024

While organizations like CCN are working to integrate disability and LGBTQI+ perspectives into MHM responses, more needs to be done and systemic barriers remain—exacerbated by the recent closure of key donor-funded programs supported by USAID. One of these was set to support the Blind Women’s Association, cutting off critical resources for advocacy and education.

Yet the spirit of resilience remains strong. Participants left the ToT training not only with knowledge, but with connection, empathy, and a renewed sense of shared purpose. As MHM efforts grow in Nepal, so too must the commitment to equity, inclusion, and dignity for all menstruating individuals. Better understanding these challenges and opportunities is critical to expanding MHM education and services throughout Nepal.

Thank you for your continued support of CCF and CCN!

Stepping Forward in Menstrual Health & Hygiene: Training of Trainers (Part II)

Written by Lisa Bower, Board Member

In Part I, we shared how CCF supported its first Menstrual Health & Hygiene (MHM) Training of Trainers (ToT) in May 2024. This three-day gathering brought together a powerful and diverse group of leaders ready to shift narratives and open up honest conversations around menstruation. In Part II, we follow what happened after the training—how participants turned knowledge into action and sparked lasting change.

MHM ToT participants during the May 2024 training

“Only the Grinding Stone Knows the Pain of the Blade”

The ripple effects of the ToT were felt almost immediately. Lead Trainer Anupa Regmi observed powerful changes in both attitude and behavior among participants that were similarly observed by CCN Director Kesang Yudron and CCN Staff Member Igroom Lama:

• Openness and Comfort: Participants began speaking more freely about menstruation and reproductive health, even approaching Anupa directly to ask personal questions. For some, it was the first time they had ever spoken openly about their experience. Misconceptions about menstrual products, such as fears around menstrual cups, also started to shift.

• Emotional Healing: Survivors of stigma and isolation shared their stories, often tearfully, finding relief in knowing they were not alone, and change was possible.

• Immediate Action: Participants left with clear commitments to bringing MHM training to their communities and workplaces.

On the final day of the training, each participant developed an action plan outlining how they would promote menstrual health over the next year. CCF funded customized training packages, including manuals, visual tools, and role-playing guides to help participants succeed in future trainings. Participants also learned to draft basic proposals to secure support for future training initiatives in their communities.

MHM ToT participants during the May 2024 training

ToT participant Ms. Pema Choeden Tamang stated: “This training personally helps me a lot. I am now able to read my body and can [respond] as it needs during my period. Similarly, I can also help people around me to get rid from unnecessary body pains, cognitive and emotions changes, mood swings and effective uses of sanitary and normal pads. I am now able to conduct Menstrual Hygiene training [for] all the age groups.”

The ToT also had a powerful impact on the men who participated. According to Anupa, many expressed a deeper understanding of the challenges surrounding menstrual health, turning the traditional Nepali saying, “Only the grinding stone knows the pain of the blade,” on its head. “Now, we too understand the pain of menstruation,” one participant shared. Many advocated for greater male involvement in such programs, emphasizing that men also need to be educated about dignified menstruation.

Video: ToT Participants from the Association of Craft Producers share their experience

Impact in Action

Since the ToT, participants returned to their communities and have been busy putting their training into practice through training and the distribution of menstrual hygiene kits. Here are a few examples:

• A training held at the Association for Craft Producers for 40 in-house artisans and staff.

• A participant from Nepalgunj led a community training with a local knitter’s group and is planning a larger session with a nearby school.

• At the Tsoknyi monastery, two teachers who attended the ToT facilitated training sessions and the distribution of menstrual hygiene kits to their students.

• A training was conducted by Nepal Disabled Women Association in Kavre for 27 participants.

• A training on “Inclusive Menstruation Care” was conducted by Mitini Nepal among the LGBTQI + communities.

• In addition, trainer Anupa also conducted 2 follow-on trainings on menstruation in Gorkha among Muslim and non-Muslim communities with 40 participants.

In total, 487 menstrual kits were distributed through these follow-on initiatives—reaching hundreds of women and girls.

Ms. Pema Choeden Tamang, who co-led the training at the Tsoknyi monastery, has already observed a direct shift in her students as a result of the training she provided: “Many of our students are now aware of premenstrual symptoms, [and the] definition and understanding of menstruation and puberty. I believe that they are now being more serious and mindful during their periods [...including the] effective usage and disposal of sanitary pads, menstrual cups and normal pads… I, along with our students, are now aware that we need to manage our period, menstrual supplies like sanitary pads or access to a clean toilet are necessary. They are now understanding that, if not properly managed, menstruation can interrupt daily life and cause health issues.”

Photo Credit: Tsoknyi Monastery. Photo of MHM training held at Tsoknyi Gechak School

The Work Ahead

While the outcomes of this ToT were deeply encouraging, there is still much to be done. Anupa identified several key areas for continued focus, which CCF and CCN will keep front and center as we move forward:

• Menopause Education: Many women shared that they lack information and support around menopause, leading to confusion, isolation, and depression. Expanding the conversation around menstruation to include the full spectrum of reproductive health is essential to supporting women throughout their lives.

• Engaging Men: This ToT affirmed how important it is to include men in conversations about menstrual health. When men understand the realities of menstruation, they are better positioned to challenge stigma and support change at home and in the community. Continued outreach to fathers, husbands, and male leaders is vital.

• Access to Products: Some participants, especially from rural areas, reported limited access to safe, affordable menstrual products. This underscores the importance of CCF’s continued work to provide sustainable MHM kits.

Lastly, ongoing mentoring and training, along with stronger communication and facilitation skills, emerged as top priorities for future trainings. Follow-up activities led by Anupa and the CCN team revealed persistent challenges in delivering MHM sessions in communities where cultural and religious taboos remain deeply rooted. Newly trained facilitators often struggled to navigate sensitive conversations with confidence. Although the original ToT included discussion on communication techniques, Anupa emphasized the need for a more in-depth, dedicated session focused on practical skills—such as choosing the right methods for difficult topics, using supportive gestures and expressions, and modeling the qualities of an effective facilitator. Continued mentorship and peer-to-peer support are also vital, providing trainees with space to reflect, ask questions, and grow in their roles. Participants particularly underscored the importance of engaging community and religious leaders to address stigma in a way that honors local traditions while fostering open dialogue—especially in rural areas where change can be slow but deeply impactful.

MHM ToT participants during the May 2024 training

Looking Ahead

The power of ToT lies not just in what was taught, but in who was empowered. When change comes from within the community - led by those who understand its language, customs, and concerns - it is more likely to take root. True behavior change takes time.

Thank you for standing with CCF and CCN on this journey. Your support is helping to break cycles of silence and stigma, and is opening up space for dignity, health, and equity. We’re proud of our inaugural ToT participants and can’t wait to see how they continue transforming conversations across Nepal. Together, we are creating a future where every person can manage their menstrual health with knowledge, confidence, and pride.

Stepping Forward in Menstrual Health & Hygiene: Training of Trainers (Part I)

Written by Lisa Bower, Board Member

Menstrual health education in Nepal has come a long way in recent years, but reaching the most remote and marginalized communities still requires new, creative approaches. Since 2018, the Conscious Connections Foundation (CCF) has supported dozens of menstrual health and hygiene (MHM) programs across Nepal. These safe spaces for learning have enabled women and girls to speak openly about menstruation, sanitation, and cultural taboos that shape their daily lives.

In May 2024, CCF took a transformative next step by supporting its first MHM Training of Trainers (ToT), held from May 4–6 at Dulikhel Village Resort outside Kathmandu. 44 participants came together to build knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills—and to spark change that will ripple across communities.

Participants of the May 2024 Training of Trainers

Why a ToT for Menstrual Health?

The idea for the training was born from the vision of CCN Director Kesang Yudron and lead trainer Anupa Regmi. Both women have witnessed firsthand the power of grassroots education, and they knew that by equipping more local leaders with MHM knowledge, they could expand the reach and deepen the impact of this critical work.

The training had two core goals:

1. Building Community and Connection - Participants came from all walks of life—community health workers, social work students, nurses, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI+ advocates, and staff from NGOs focused on gender-based violence and health. This rich mix of experiences made the ToT a vibrant space for dialogue and collaboration.

2. Empowering Local Leaders to Multiply Impact - The ToT focused on building skills and confidence so participants could lead their own MHM sessions back home. Each participant left not just with new knowledge, but with a sense of responsibility and purpose. The training included men, because menstruation does not only affect those who experience it, but also those who do not.

For a video overview of the training, check out our video on Youtube!

“The demolition of cow shed is not the solution”

Lead trainer Anupa Regmi brought decades of experience as a midwife and educator to the ToT. Her passion for menstrual health runs deep, shaped by years of experience as a midwife in remote Nepali villages in the far west. Through her work, she’s seen how fear, misconceptions, and stigma surrounding menstruation can have serious, long-term impacts on the health and well-being of women and girls.

One example is Chhaupadi, a traditional practice in Nepal that isolates menstruating women and girls, labeling them "impure." Forced to stay in poorly built huts with no heat or ventilation, many face exposure to extreme weather, illness, animal attacks, and even sexual violence. In winter, attempts to stay warm with indoor fires can lead to death. While most visible in rural areas of the west, the practice persists across towns and cities as well, where women are often confined to corners of their homes—causing both physical harm and psychological strain.

Anupa emphasized that legal reforms alone aren’t enough to change these practices. Since the government began demolishing Chhaupadi huts in 2017, families have often resorted to makeshift shelters like tents—sometimes even more dangerous to women and girls than the original huts were. Anupa stated "the demolition of the cow shed is not the solution," she said. "You have to change the mindset—of discrimination, taboos, and stigma." She stressed that the problem lies not in the huts themselves, but in the belief around menstruation: “Instead of just demolishing visible Chhaupadi huts, it is crucial to challenge the deeply rooted belief that menstruation requires isolation... However, in Nepal, this remains a challenge due to religious, cultural, and traditional influences.”

Lead Trainer Anupa Regmi during the ToT

Her message is clear: lasting change takes more than laws and information – it demands empathy, open-mindedness, and the courage to challenge deeply rooted cultural beliefs. With this in mind, the TOT curriculum and approach was designed to foster not just knowledge, but mindset shifts, among participants.

“The knowledge I gained was beyond my expectations”

The participants were highly engaged throughout the training, despite diverse backgrounds and different experiences with menstruation. During the group sessions, according to CCN Director Kesang, they were remarkably open and collaborative, discussing menstruation and other health topics with honesty and mutual respect.

One participant, Ms. Pema Choeden Tamang shared:

“The knowledge I gained within three days of training was beyond my expectations… I [had] taken Reproductive Health and Menstrual Hygiene training before. But the [level] of knowledge I gained was drastically different... I expected that the training might be long, boring and repetitive. But it was full of knowledge and entertainment. The training reminds me of a lot of small things that I tend to forget. Like, about puberty, sexual, gender, equality...”

These moments of connection were key. According to Kesang, while discussing a traditionally taboo topic was initially challenging —particularly in normalizing conversations about body parts—patience and sensitivity by Anupa helped navigate deeply ingrained cultural and personal stigmas around menstruation. Anupa agreed, stating that one area of commonality among participants was that everyone in the group was following “some form of menstrual restriction - whether it was restrictions on mobility, restrictions on food, and restrictions on touch. Along with that, there was also the belief that menstrual blood is dirty or impure.”

Embracing Diversity, Deepening Understanding

The ToT’s success was rooted in large part in its inclusivity. Participants came from both urban centers and remote villages of the far west, and included men and women. Participants included rural healthcare workers and members of the disabled and LGBTQI+ communities. This diversity brought new insights, and also required extra care. According to Anupa, this approach required a major focus on trust building and relationship management early in the training, to ensure participants all had a base level of understanding about menstruation and to carefully build a comfortable environment where all participants felt comfortable sharing their experiences and questions.

ToT participants engaged in group activity

Sessions featured interactive discussions, creative activities, and guest speakers—including a gynecologist who provided in-depth medical information and answered sensitive questions.

ToT participant Pema reflected:

“The most interesting part was by getting to interact and knowing various thoughts, experiences and beliefs from diverse participants. I got to know closely regarding the actual issues, problems that faced in the rural areas during menstruation and pregnancy. The mis-conception, superstitious beliefs, and myths our society carries about Menstruation, Menopause and pregnancy was [heartbreaking].”

Even male participants expressed surprise at what they learned. "Some of them later shared that they had never thought about menstruation from a health or dignity perspective before," said Anupa, noting that she had observed male participants to be more engaged and curious than she originally expected. According to Anupa, they told her, "Now we can openly talk about menstruation in our families and communities," recognizing that there is a big difference between caring for someone without understanding menstruation and providing informed care. This awareness can help women experience dignified menstruation, and reduces discrimination at home, in schools, and in workplaces.

What's Next?

This blog is the first in a two-part series exploring the impact of our MHM Training of Trainers. In Part II, we’ll share the impact of the ToT and how participants put their training into action—leading sessions, shifting mindsets, and sparking change in their communities.

We’re also working on a blog post that dives deeper into the diverse experiences of people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQI+ community around menstruation. These voices are vital to building a more inclusive conversation about MHM.

Stay with us—there’s more to come!

Introducing Conscious Connections Nepal: A New Chapter!

Written by Lisa Bower, Board Member

Hello, Conscious Connections family! We’re thrilled to reconnect with you and share some transformative news that has been brewing behind the scenes. After a quiet few months of dedicated work, we’re excited to announce our new partnership that will expand our impact in Nepal.

A Partnership Rooted in Shared Vision

In mid-December, Conscious Connections Foundation (CCF) took an important step forward by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Conscious Connections Nepal (CCN), our new partner organization in Nepal. This collaboration isn’t just a formality—it’s a vibrant commitment to deepening our work on the ground. By joining forces, CCN now becomes an independent, registered non-profit in Nepal with the ability to receive funds directly from abroad, which means we can support community projects more efficiently and effectively.

At Conscious Connections Foundation, our mission is to invest in the power of women and girls to be key participants in their society. Partnering with CCN amplifies this mission, allowing us to work more directly with local partners and reduce administrative hurdles. In turn, CCN gains the flexibility to seek additional funding, ensuring that their programming can expand and evolve with the needs of Nepal’s diverse communities. Over the years, CCF has been dedicated to training women leaders, and we are thrilled to see several of them now stepping into influential roles at CCN—turning their skills into action and shaping a brighter future.

CCF and CCN with Drokpo Nepal staff. Left to right: Pema Yangkyi Gurung (MH Program Director of Drokpo), Sonam Dolma Lama (Director of Drokpo), Kesang Yudron (CCF board member and CCN Founder and Director), Denise Attwood (co-founder/Chair of CCF), Chunta Nepali, and Igroom Lama (CCN Staff Member)

What CCN Brings to the Table

Strengthening Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR):
CCN is set to continue and deepen the critical work of CCF on SRHR, including: 

• menstrual health education

• training women to make reusable menstrual pads;

• distributing pre-made reusable menstrual hygiene kits;

• supporting women by exposing myths about menstruation; and

• continuing to engage and support members of the LBGTQI+ community and other marginalized groups across Nepal.

Boosting Livelihoods & Entrepreneurship:
In addition to health initiatives, CCN will further its work in livelihood and entrepreneurship. By supporting women and girls in skills development that provide reliable income, they’re not only fostering creative enterprise but also building pathways for economic independence.

Championing Education:
Education remains a cornerstone of sustainable development. CCN will continue to support education through scholarships and other initiatives, opening doors for Nepal’s women, girls, and marginalized individuals to a brighter future.

Addressing Climate Change:
In a world where climate change is reshaping lives around the world, CCN is also boldly stepping into a new arena. They will focus on helping rural communities adapt to environmental changes, with special attention to the links between climate change, women, SRHR, and economic empowerment.

While these initiatives might seem ambitious, the CCN team is embracing a step-by-step approach—ensuring that every project is both impactful and sustainable and learning is captured along the way.

CCF and CCN with the Nepal Disabled Women’s Association Kavre. Left to right: Sabitri Dahal (Consultant to Nepal Disabled Women Association Kavre), Denise Attwood (co-founder/Chair of CCF), Pampha Pulkoti (VP of Nepal Disabled Women’s Association Kavre) and Kesang Yudron, (CCF board member and CCN Founder and Director)

What’s on the Horizon?

As we look ahead in 2025, CCF and CCN have been hard at work outlining a clear vision for the upcoming year. In a detailed review at the end of 2024, we finalized the budget that will guide CCN’s projects over the next 1 to 1.5 years. 2025 will be our most ambitious year yet! Stay tuned for updates as we share more about specific projects in the coming months. It’s also important to note that while we have set long-term plans, CCN will retain the flexibility to provide emergency funding or adjust programming as new challenges emerge.

Moving Forward Together

CCF’s partnership with CCN is more than an administrative milestone—it’s a testament to our shared belief in empowering local communities and fostering sustainable change. We are also so excited to provide a leadership training platform for the incredible women now leading CCN - putting the women of Nepal front and center in shaping the future of the organization and their work in the country. 

As we embark on this new chapter, we invite you to join us on the journey.  Thank you for being part of our growing community of changemakers. Together, we are building a future where connection and compassion lead the way. Help us continue to support important work taking place in Nepal. 

CCF Hires a new Menstrual Hygiene Management Assistant Program Manager

Written by Colleen Cahill, Board Member

Meet Igroom Lama, CCF’s new Assistant Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Program Administrator! She joins Kesang Riinchen in Kathmandu, CCF’s MHM Program Manager, and brings a wealth of experience in MHM and community development.

2024 has been very busy, and earlier this year, it was clear we needed help to keep up with growing interest in our MHM workshops. It was a great stroke of luck when Kesang met Igroom through a mutual colleague. Kesang brought a proposal to the board asking to hire Igroom for a part-time contract position, and it was a unanimous “yes!”

At 35, Igroom has a gentle and articulate presence. She identifies as a feminist and believes a woman’s period is a natural process and a sacred subject. She is drawn to menstrual hygiene work because her beliefs contrast with the common practices throughout Nepal where in Buddhist and Hindu communities women and girls can’t talk about it openly and are considered impure during menstruation. She’s frustrated by this because the practices are based in myth and superstition and serve only to perpetuate Nepal’s male-dominated culture. She is excited to be a part of CCF and wants to see more organizations working in menstrual health to spread education and bring about equality for women.

In her role, Igroom will help monitor and evaluate CCF’s MHM program to identify areas for improvement. She’ll develop and conduct trainings and continue to maintain and cultivate new relationships with partners in Nepal. Her education and experience are an enormous asset to CCF and we are so grateful to have her!

Igroom holds a Bachelor’s in Development Studies and a Masters in International Cooperation and Development studies. Her schooling taught her ways to approach communities, assess needs, and identify what conditions must be developed for improvement from the local level to international. Her interest in menstrual hygiene issues started early in her education as her studies led her to volunteer opportunities in communities where she was forced to follow chhaupadi practices during her period. The treatment she experienced ignited a passion in her and she turned her attention toward menstrual hygiene awareness.

In 2015, while Igroom was still working on her masters, she had an internship with a friend’s NGO that implemented WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) initiatives. Through this experience, Igroom got a broader picture of menstruation and how acutely the subject is suppressed and hidden. When the NGO’s Project Coordinator asked Igroom if she could write her Master’s thesis on menstruation management, she was all in. She chose to focus on concepts of menstruation practices in Buddhist and Hindu communities.

In villages where chhaupadi is practiced, Igroom says it’s like torture when the girls get their periods. She understands their pain having experienced the inhumane treatment while volunteering. During that time, whenever she was on her period, she was considered “impure,” wasn’t allowed to touch the water tap or enter the kitchen, and had to sleep separate from the family while also enduring other degrading treatment.

Igroom has already helped conduct two trainings and proven to be an instrumental addition to CCF. In the year ahead, she plans to support CCF in analyzing and documenting our work, establishing baselines, and providing guidance. She wants to demonstrate to our donors how their support is making an impact. Look for more exciting things to come!

Hot Off the Press! CCF's Menstrual Health Guide

by Colleen Cahill

Talk about a labor of love.

After nearly two and a half years of incubating...er...I mean, development, Conscious Connections Foundation (CCF) is proud to announce our brand new Guide to Menstrual Health for Women & Girls is complete and has already been put to use! This is BIG news for our small and mighty organization.

CCF super-hero-slash-key-partner, Kesang Yudron, led a massive effort to bring menstrual health training to the remote villages in the Upper Arun Valley in Eastern Nepal last month—our first training session since the lockdown began last year (look for this story coming soon). The women and community leaders loved the guide with all its bright and fun illustrations.

Puberty page layout

CCF Steps Up Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Training Initiative

In the fall of 2018, CCF began conducting menstrual health training. This initiative grew out of our existing Power of 5 program working to educate children—with an emphasis on girls.

Through this effort to educate girls and break down cultural barriers, it was clear that without adding the menstrual health component, we’d be falling short on truly setting them up for success. It aligned well with CCF’s mission and Nepali partners led the way to get this work started.

Kesang Yudron, CCF MHM project manager, set out the goal of the initiative:

“To inform and provide access to information on Menstrual Health and Hygiene across Nepal so women have a choice to live in dignity, equality and justice.”

To date, CCF has held several trainings in Kathmandu as well as several remote areas, and until last month, there have been no specific course materials. The students and trainers asked for a more permanent and comprehensive reference tool to take home and share with others.

In doing some research to see if other organizations had an existing menstrual health manual CCF could purchase to support our training sessions, we discovered the options were proprietary and didn't quite fulfill our need for information that fit all literacy levels.

Kesang proposed to the board that the organization create its own manual and design it based on our specific training focusing on issues around gender inequality, sexual reproduction, myths, taboos and religious beliefs surrounding menstruation and the local laws that support women’s rights. She added that it should be available to anyone who wanted it so that it might be shared widely.

This was no small undertaking, but the board unanimously agreed to fund the project.

Kesang was off and running.

The “Un-Manual”

CCF formed a menstrual hygiene committee to offer support to Kesang as she gathered her team in Nepal and developed content. Together, we determined the primary goal of the manual—to simplify the menstrual health information so that students of all ages with different levels of literacy and education could understand it and get excited to share it back to their families and communities.

We wanted to avoid creating another boring textbook. To keep the students—whether female, male, young or old—engaged and curious, Kesang hired an illustrator to develop colorful, fun and informative illustrations. This talented Nepali woman, Promina Shrestha, brought the guide to life by introducing “The Egg,” our cute, friendly main character who shepherds us through the manual explaining diagrams and offering informative tips and encouragement.

Illustrator’s rough sketch of The Egg describing her journey through menstruation

For a topic in Nepal that can be taboo and shameful, this was an effective tactic to make students feel more at ease.

The team in Nepal was rounded out with help from a nurse, writer, translator, and graphic designer, with a little support from the menstrual hygiene committee stateside.

Illustrator’s rough sketch of The Egg explaining what might happen during menstruation

Comprehensive Menstrual Hygiene Content

This version of the guide is one CCF will continue to evolve going forward. Many issues were discussed and considered, but in the end, we focused in on the following outline for our first edition:

• Puberty

• Anatomy (male and female)

• Menstruation

• Menstrual Restriction, Social Norms and Taboos

• Menstrual Products (Pros and Cons)

• Menstruation and the Environment

• Menopause

• Menstrual Cycle Calendar ( Moon Cycle)

Menstruation page layout

The Introduction invites the student in with a friendly tone and immediately frames menstruation in the positive light it deserves:

Menstruation is an exciting time of change in your body and mind that signals your entry into womanhood, sexual activity, and being able to have babies. Although it’s an exciting time of change and is a completely normal and healthy process, many girls face exclusion and restriction due to the belief that menstrual blood is impure and dirty. Chauppadi, one of the most restrictive menstrual practices of confining women in small sheds, is practiced in Nepal.

This mini manual is designed to explain to families and communities about Menstrual Health and Hygiene. This Menstrual Health Manual, explains the natural and normal changes that are happening in your body. When you are more knowledgeable about your body, you will be empowered and better equipped with the information and confidence necessary to manage your long-term sexual and reproductive health.

Maintaining good menstrual health starts with understanding the changes that occur in our body during puberty.

The manual even comes complete with a menstruation calendar at the back, so the women and girls have a tool to help them learn how to track their periods!

Spreading Menstrual education far and wide

CCF published the guide under the creative commons license. It is our hope that this information is shared out freely and widely throughout Nepal and wherever menstrual health education is needed.

The guide was produced and printed in both English and Nepali. If you’d like to support this work and menstrual hygiene education in Nepal, hit the button below. Just $20 sponsors a student to attend menstrual health training. Your dollars make a huge impact.

A BIG thank you to our donors! Through you, this work has been possible.

What CCF does and how it does it

CCF sponsored Menstrual Leadership Training in Kathmandu

By Kimberly A. Maynard, Ph.D.
– CCF Board Member

I have personally worked with, for, and beside hundreds of international aid organizations in many countries. I have professionally examined the intention and value and, ultimately, the impact of international aid work. What does truly caring about our fellow humans around the world and “doing good” look like in an organization? We are in an era of extreme resource imbalance within a globalized economy. Through the media, we are privy to the lives of others in the far reaches of the world 24/7. It tears our hearts when we witness an earthquake destroy a whole village or a young girl destined to hard labor deep in the hands of poverty. We are the privileged, the few, the top end of the ladder yet what do we do to help? How do we express our humanity effectively?

How Do We Do Good Well?

After a career in the field and decades examining this personally, I have boiled it down simply to exemplifying good ethics. In the end, we are humans who want to favorably touch and be touched by other humans. This entails two things for me organizationally: 1) upholding an excellent partnership relationship with those we work with and 2) making an effort to think long-term and to act short-term in the best interest of the community and country.

Last year while trekking to each of CCF’s projects, I kept this in mind. Sitting in a circle in front of the Baseri Health Clinic along with the clinic’s oversight committee and staff, I asked myself this same question: what does “doing good” look like. The clinic was in need of repair. Children from the school next door had taken to throwing rocks at it, which chipped the siding. Some of the rooms flooded during the monsoons due to poor run off and an inadequate foundation. What actions could CCF take that would support the long-term ability of the community to have and uphold a quality clinic and not simply do a quick fix? That day in the circle, we agreed on a plan. CCF engaged a local contractor who employed Baseri young men to upgrade some structural components of the clinic. The contractor, also a committee member, took responsibility to guarantee the work would be maintained in years to come. After our meeting, the schoolmaster from next door walked over to me and thanked CCF for helping ensure that the community had such a viable health service. He said he would personally ensure that children learned to appreciate the value of the clinic and that they would no longer throw rocks.

CCF Takes A Deeper Look At What It Does

That trip prompted some navel gazing among CCF’s Board members. Clearly, CCF is greatly appreciated among the Nepalis with whom we engage and whose lives we touch. How do we articulate how that works? How can our ethics and methods be made more visible and consistent in our work? How can we ensure our integrity, transparency, and underlying values are inherent in everything we do? CCF has held strong values since its inception, such as trusting and working closely with specific Nepali relationships to guide its grant-making. However, up until now, these had been more intuitive than verbalized.

The Board formed a committee to look deep into this question. We held a series of introspective discussions unpacking what we stood for and how we operate. This invisible substructure developed into clear, discernible philosophies and standards documented in What CCF Does and How and agreed to by the entire Board. It states our underpinning beliefs, what kinds of projects we fund and why, and our guiding principles and is the foundation of all our operations. In it, is a set of seven criteria against which we measure each proposal in deciding what to fund in upholding this platform.

For example, our internal discussions pointed directly to our belief that when women and girls thrive, the world is better off. Yes, there are many deserving issues, and CCF has chosen to center its work on women and girls. For decades, I’ve had a sticker next to my desk that reads, “For every year beyond fourth grade that girls go to school, family size drops 20%, child deaths drop 10%, and wages rise 20%; yet international aid dedicated to education is declining.” Paul Hawken’s Project Drawdown uses big data to list the 100 most important, already existing solutions to reversing global warming. It measures how much CO2 is either not emitted or is captured by each solution. Educating girls is number six, family planning is number seven, and the two combined are number one. CCF’s scholarships and menstrual hygiene training are right in there.

I learned early on that giving money and food to the women resulted in the whole family surviving better. When girls get a leg up, their entire lives are transformed, they have more choices, and they give back to their societies. CCF has seen this transformation with Nepali women and girls since its inception. So, we made explicit that our work is to support women and girls.

The Process Is As Important As The Product

Yet, my experience has underscored it is not just what an international aid organization does does but how it does it. The process itself can often become the majority of the benefit. CCF has always invested in trusted Nepalis to guide our actions. Making this explicit through our guidelines grounds us in these precious relationships. This stems from the fact that every organization has to decide how directive it will be. Will it use its education and experience to proffer activities to a community or will it ask the community—sometimes without much subject matter experience—to decide what to do?

CCF has decided to walk beside and partner with Nepali communities, working collaboratively on issues of interest related to girls and women. In this, Nepalis collectively benefit from CCF’s involvement (not least of which is financing), while we in the West learn from working closely with the unique Nepali cultures and approaches to their circumstances. That said, CCF remains open to the understanding that there will be situations when it walks ahead and directs change. Similarly, there will be situations when our Nepali partners have more insight and should rightfully lead. We see this two-way, accommodating modality deepening and strengthening our relationships.

Around the World Benefits

Another significant component of CCF’s internal workings that emerged during our discussions was the value of our North American partners. We are immensely grateful for the financial generosity that continuously delights and strengthens us. Indeed, without our bighearted donors, we could not do what we do. And yet the relationship goes far beyond the funding.

Despite most of the world now having full time access to information, our understandings of and exposure to other cultures is always limited. CCF plays a unique role in bridging some of this gap personally. Recognizing this, we renewed our commitment to bring glimpses of the rich Nepali life to our donors and to the internet public through our website, newsletters, blogs, fundraising, and personal interactions with other Americans. We see this cross-cultural sharing plays a crucial role in linking communities and individuals across the planet and contributing to a broader sense of our global humanity.

To Hell With Good Intentions

As we all have witnessed, the challenge is not in holding good intentions as we set out to “do good.” The pages of history and the streets of villages around the world are literally littered with examples of disastrous projects of well-intentioned aid organizations. I can personally attest to many “unintended consequences” of poorly designed, ill-thought out, and failed programs.

Unfortunately, the international system rarely holds international organizations accountable for such projects. It is the community, the local population who must live with the debacle. Some of this is the result simply of poor planning and inexperience, exaggerated expectations, funding shortfalls and other such natural naiveté. Much of it, however, can be avoided by knowing the context in detail and thinking longer-term. By imagining both the spinoff benefits and potential problems that might arise from both the project and the process used, one can develop a more informative perspective.

CCF has adopted this long-term thinking in our foundational platform. For each proposal, we ask ourselves whether the project will likely have been a good idea a generation (20 years) hence. Without the benefit of hindsight, we do our best to imagine the enduring positive and negative implications of our actions. In the Baseri example above, in the short-term, the clinic was repaired before the monsoons. By using a local contractor (instead of one from Kathmandu) who then hired community laborers using largely local materials, money went back into the area’s economy, local workers developed some capacity in this form of building repair, and the skills necessary for maintaining the clinic are now resident in the community. A generation from now, these capabilities will hopefully remain.

Living Our Values

During this reflective process, we asked ourselves, “Change is happening all the time; what part of that change do we want to be?” While articulating our values and methodology doesn’t fundamentally change what CCF does or how we do it, it does elevate our work to a higher level. We are now visibly more accountable to ourselves, as we have an agreement against which to measure our actions. We are also more accountable to our Nepali partners, as our transparency is a commitment to right relationship. Lastly, we are more accountable to the public and to our donors who can track how we manifest our principles in our activities. By being explicit about our actions and values and putting our integrity on the line, we hope to attract North Americans intrigued by our work as well as Nepali partners and other opportunities that align with our approach.

Like many others, my years in the field have developed an attentive eye towards international aid. Our responsibility to our fellow humans obliges us to ensure our good intentions equate to positive long-term impact to the best of our ability. Dependency, colonialism, entitlement, and cultural bias are just some of the challenges we face with our generosity and true interest in helping others. It is with that sensitivity that I am engaged in and so appreciate CCF’s concerted self-reflection. While we never know the full impact of our efforts, with our ongoing partnerships with Nepali colleagues, we hope to cultivate a better, more loving world for all—one in which we each bring what we have to the table and engage deeply in each other’s lives such that we truly are contributing to a more beautiful world.

CCF empowers girls to take charge of their futures & celebrates International Day of the Girl! Check out this story!

Today is significant for Conscious Connections Foundation (CCF) because it celebrates the work we do every day in Nepal! Our mission is to help girls reach their full potential and we know first-hand, the impacts of educating and empowering women.

CCF invests in girls and women through education, healthcare, skills development and training.

Thing is, we discovered a woman’s period can provide a big barrier to getting these resources to them.

To kick this obstacle aside, CCF funds a Menstrual Health Hygiene program that has been growing and gaining great interest in several parts of Nepal. We provide menstrual health training workshops and reusable menstruation kits to our participants—and CCF doesn’t just work in urban and easy-to-access areas.

Carrying 400 reusable menstrual pad kits up the trail toward Sertung, Nepal.

In fact, our Nepali partners take our trainings to some of the most difficult and remote areas of Nepal.

This is where Menstrual Hygiene education and reusable kits are needed the most.

Watch over the next few weeks as CCF’s trainings come alive in the villages of Hindung and Neber in northern Dhading district…

• Many days walk from the nearest road

• Near the border of Tibet

• In the shadow of the 24,000 ft peak of Ganesh Himal

We look forward to bringing you some great stories from this experience. Stay tuned!

In honor of International Day of the Girl Child help our work continue on.
Your donations make this happen.

Photos
Top Left: Four women and one gentleman came down from Sertung to pick up and carry the kits for CCF.

Top Right: Pema Tamang, Certified Medical Assistant and Menstrual Hygiene Trainer with women from Sertung carrying CCF reusable kits into Hindung.

CCF's 2018 Annual Report released!

CCF’s 2018 Annual Report is finished and ready for reading! We’ve had fun putting this together and looking back on how much CCF and our partners in Nepal accomplished in 2018. Please read! We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed facilitating the work. Thank you for all of your support.

Sincerely,

The Board of Conscious Connections Foundation

Denise Attwood, Cameron Conner, Austin Zimmerman, Ric Conner, Martha Newell, Kim Maynard, Colleen Cahill and Saskia Peck