Mensurance

According to latest National Hygiene Survey of Bangladesh almost 50% of school going girl use old cloth for menstrual hygiene management. The rate of using sanitary pads is still low and is actually seen among the wealthiest quintile of the population. The practice of cleaning, washing and drying of the clothes is another challenge, and the common barriers are the availability of water and soap, space for cleaning,  lack of space for drying and social stigma about menstrual hygiene. 30% of the school going girl remain absent from school for atleast 2.5 day. Disposal mechanism of sanitary pad and changing of cloths are the complicated issues to remain present in school during the menstruation. To ensure a good hygiene practice, which will be affordable, safe, easy to manage, have a safe disposal, and ultimately ensure safe hygiene practice in school and reduce absenteeism, this "mensurance' concept will work to address different aspects.

Mensurance is a scheme of with three component.

1. Revolving fund to ensure menstrual hygiene product in school: With the small savings from the school girl a fund will be generated to run a small business in the school for buying sanitary product. Each member will contribute and continue savings from pocket money to revolve the fund, which will be utilizing for stocking and selling sanitary product at school premises by the members. The roles and responsibility will be performed by rotation.

2. Establishment of safe disposal facilities: With the initiative of the member, negotiation with school authorities, a safe disposal facility will be established. It will not be simple bin for dumping but rather an eco-friendly way to recycle waste without causing the damage to environment. 

3. Drive against social stigma:

The members of the initiative will also work as a force to reduce social stigma against menstruation to ensure a healthy reproductive and sexual life during adolescence and the future.

The solution is combination of both financial management to mitigate the financial barrier, accessebility to menstrual hygiene product, student led initiatives that will allow practice of money management, improve the advocacy skill and also create impact on reducing the social stigma of menstruation.

Since 1995 the organization is working towards stregthening the development of poor and vulnarable. WASH is one of the main challenges we faced, learned about, and are working towards developing a system appropriate for the local community that will be developed and led by them for better impact and sustainability. We have piloted the idea in around 50 schools, served about 4000 adolescent girls, and generated evidence. Now we are going to redesign the scheme individually to make it more effective, sustainable and scale up to create greater impact.

2000

1. Its locally developed solution and mechanism are evident for sustainability

2. The scheme is not a single initiative but rather comprises three different components that ensure women's empowerment, climate resilience, and community engagement. 

In the coming 5 years, 90% of the school going girl are using safe menstrual hyguiene product and the rate of absenteesm due to menstruation is reduced to 0.  

That will also contribute to SDG 3.7  and the future Maternal health improvement of the country

As the problem is related accessibility of sanitary product, disposal of used product and the social stigma the combination approach is going to create impact in each of the root cause of the problem. 

Total Employees:

• Senior Management                 18
• Midlevel Management              40
• Frontline Staff                         131

Total employee 189 (female: 59, male: 130)

Since 2015

DASCOH Foundation has gender policy that is in practice. We do practice a gender analysis framework in each of our projects to ensure inclusion. We prioritize. With the support of the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation, the DASCOH Foundation has developed a strong practice and institutional framework that will be followed in the solution as well. 

Its a school base financial management initiatives rather a business model. The objective is to create an accessible mechanism, rather than profit. But the practice will surely generate idea of social business and will influence the adolescent girl to be empowered in future

Not applicable