International Day of the Girl Child
Adolescents are 1.2× more likely to drop out of school over period stigma than over school fees. We work the right lever.
Adolescent girls in India lose 5 days of school per month to period stigma, hygiene gaps, and absent infrastructure — not because they can't afford the school. That's 60 days of school per year. By the end of class 10, the cumulative dropout effect explains a chunk of India's gender education gap. SHELY Varsity already runs in this audience; this campaign turns the day into a deployment moment.
Three artefacts for adolescents
Saheli paper tracker
A postcard-sized cycle wheel for girls without smartphones — printable, dispatchable through school programmes. Doesn't need internet.
Anatomy 3D in Varsity
The `/anatomy` route, embedded into Varsity's class 9-10 module, narrated in 7 Indic languages. First time most users see what their own body actually looks like.
Parent + teacher kit
A 6-card guide for the adults — what is age-appropriate to say, what isn't, how to handle the first conversation. Printable from Varsity, also in WhatsApp share format.
The four days
- Oct 9Open
Tracker + parent kit released. Doodle on Varsity.
- Oct 10Anatomy day
3D anatomy in 7 languages launches inside Varsity for class 9-10 cohorts.
- Oct 11IDGC
Doodle on shely.health. Sakhi takeover by three adolescent girls + their mothers.
- Oct 12Close
Compiled mother-daughter story collection published; printable distributed to participating schools.
Common questions
What is the Saheli paper tracker?
A postcard-sized cycle wheel girls without smartphones can use — circle a date, slide a marker, see where you are in your cycle. Printable from Varsity, distributable through school programmes. Designed for places where phone access is limited.
What age is this campaign for?
The artefacts are written for 9–16 — the SHELY Varsity audience. The Anatomy 3D is age-graded; the parent/teacher kit is for the adults around them. Younger girls (8+) can use the tracker with adult help.
What should I teach a girl about her first period?
Biology first (what it is, why it happens), then logistics (pads/cups/period underwear, hygiene), then reassurance (cramps are normal, blood is not dirty, she can do everything she normally does). The parent/teacher kit walks you through the first conversation.
What should I skip or be careful about?
Avoid framing periods as a "burden" or "becoming a woman = restrictions." Skip language about purity or impurity. Be careful with absolute rules ("never swim, never wash hair") that have no medical basis. The kit lists the common myths and how to handle them.
I teach class 9 in a Karnataka government school. The Anatomy 3D in Kannada was the first time my girls saw the inside of their own body without giggling — they had questions for an hour after class.
Keep going
This campaign is one nudge. Here's where it leads on SHELY.
Get notified about the next campaign
One short email per week, plus a heads-up when the next women's-health campaign goes live. Indian voices, no spam.
Related campaigns
Red Dot Day
A week of period-positive WhatsApp + IVR campaigning, on Menstrual Hygiene Day (28 May).
Daughters' Day
One conversation between mothers and daughters that most families never have. We make it easier.
Diwali · Period Myth-Busting
Don't enter the kitchen. Don't touch the lamp. Don't pray. We bust the festival-week myths in seven languages.