Awareness On Period Positivity

On November 10, 2024, Pre-Med Diaries launched its first event, Redefining Red, at the Dispute Palace orphanage. The event aimed to educate young girls about menstruation, focusing on its biological aspects, menstrual positivity, and hygiene. To ensure the participants felt comfortable and engaged, the session was conducted in Hindi, Marathi, and English and  ensure better understanding and avoid overwhelming the participants, the event was divided into two sessions. 

To begin with, the session kicked off with an icebreaker activity called Pass the Teddy which was carried out by Sejal the social media manager and Nayoon Kim a volunteer at the event. During this activity, a teddy was passed around, and each participant introduced themselves while sharing two things they liked. This helped establish a friendly and open atmosphere. Following this, Ananya, the founder of Pre-Med Diaries, introduced key concepts such as adolescence, puberty, and teenage development. She carefully explained these terms, pausing to re-explain when necessary and asking questions to ensure that everyone understood.

Next, Ananya elaborated on the physical and emotional changes that girls experience during puberty. After this, Jimit briefly discussed the changes in boys during puberty, offering a comparison to deepen the girls’ understanding. Subsequently, Sejal led a discussion on good touch and bad touch, emphasising the importance of personal boundaries and safety. This was crucial for the girls to understand personal space as they navigate the changes in their bodies.

To keep the atmosphere interactive, the team then conducted a recreational activity. In this activity, the girls were given red crayons and asked to illustrate what the color “red” meant to them. This exercise aimed to break the stigma surrounding menstruation and promote a positive association with the color red. Following the activity, Ariha explained the importance of personal hygiene, offering practical tips for maintaining cleanliness during adolescence and puberty.

As the session came to a close, Ishika and Alisha, volunteers from the team, facilitated a Q&A session to address any remaining doubts. This allowed the girls to ask questions and clarify any misunderstandings, ensuring they left the session feeling confident and informed. Additionally, Ananya briefly introduced the concept of menstruation, sparking curiosity for the next session. Furthermore, Saanjhi, the graphic designer at Pre-Med Diaries, was responsible for documenting the event through photographs, capturing the key moments of Session One.