My First Field Experience with Baala
Project Baala collaborated with Aamchi, an organisation based in Maharashtra, India, in order to hold a Menstrual Health and Hygiene Workshop for young girls and women in a slum area in Thane, as well as to distribute reusable and sustainable period products. The workshop was led by Aishwarya, core team member, and Dhwani, a volunteer with Baala. Read on for a first hand account of Dhwani’s!
On the 27th of August, 2022, I had the opportunity of conducting a workshop on ‘Menstrual Health and Hygiene’ along with Aishwarya from the Project Baala team for the community at Krishna Nagar, Thane.
It being my first such volunteering experience, I’m glad I ended up reaching the venue almost an hour in advance. I made use of this time to observe the local residents in these slums, the conditions in which they lived, got acquainted to the surroundings and saw how amongst over 800 houses there were 10 common toilets at one end of the area giving rise to severe problems due to lack of hygienic conditions. It combining with improper disposal of waste caused breeding of insects which would make the residents very disease prone. I gained some perspective about the slum life and its hardships as I’d never seen rural or slum life as closely as I did that evening.
I did have some apprehensions about how would the interaction pan out and if the ladies of the community would be accepting enough of us talking publicly about menstruation. But, by the end of the workshop, if not fully convinced, the ladies seemed more relaxed, less hesitant, having gotten slightly comfortable in an hour’s time. At the very end, they did get less restrained than before in giving responses. In spite of their inhibitions, it was remarkable how well they retained the information, understood it well and answered correctly on being asked questions during a recap. There were some young girls who were participative and keen on gaining knowledge. On comprehending that we could be of help to them and add value to their lives, it felt incredible.
Until now I had never related to or felt much empathy towards the kind of crowd I interacted with nor was I aware of the extent of period poverty amongst them. But it took just one day, this workshop to bring about a positive change within me and my mindset pertaining them. I am so grateful for Project Baala and for having gotten this opportunity to contribute towards a cause I resonated with, having this wonderful experience so early on, within a month of joining, which not only gave me so much learning but also inner satisfaction. Looking forward to creating impact and memories with the team while conducting many more workshops in the coming future!
About the Author
Dhwani has done her Master of Commerce from the University of Mumbai. She works with a CA firm and is pursuing CPA. She loves travelling. In her free time, you might find her painting or baking!
