Aditi Gupta: A taboo-free way to talk about periods
Aditi Gupta: Njia isiyo na mwiko kuongelea kuhusu siku za hedhi
Aditi Gupta uses storytelling and art to educate young girls about menstruation. Full bio
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goes through every month
anapitia kila mwezi
of our species depends on it.
wa spishi zetu unautegemea.
and shameful talking about it.
na fedheha kuliongelea.
a secret from others --
siri nisiwaambie wengine--
appeared in our textbooks,
limejitokeza vitabuni mwetu,
shameful to talk about it.
ni fedheha mno kuongelea jambo hili.
are not aware of menstruation
hawafahamu kuhusu hedhi
out of 10 girls being unaware of it.
kati ya kumi kutokufahamu
that I have spoken to,
nilioongea nao,
at the time of their first menstruation
wakati wa hedhi zao za kwanza
is a very important risk factor
ni kipengele muhimu cha hatari
of girls and women
ya wasichana na wanawake
of managing their periods.
wa kumudu siku zao.
unhygienic ways to manage their periods.
hutumia njia zisizo salama kwa siku zao.
called Garhwa, in Jharkhand,
uitwao Garhwa, jimbo la Jharkhand,
is considered shameful.
ilichukuliwa kama fedheha.
I would wash and reuse them.
niliyafua na kuyatumia tena.
in a dark, damp place
sehemu yenye giza na unyevu
that I'm menstruating.
kuwa niko kwenye hedhi.
the rags would become coarse,
matambara yalikuja kuwa magumu,
and infections using them.
na maambukizi kwa kuyatumia.
until I moved out of that town.
hadi nilipohama ule mji.
that periods brought in my life
ambalo siku zilileta maishani mwangu
and women when they're on their periods.
na wanawake wakiwa kwenye siku zao.
for the few who don't.
kwa wale wachache wasiojua.
or some other family member's bed.
au kitandani mwa ndugu wa familia.
after every period,
kila baada ya siku zangu,
any object of religious importance.
kitu chochote chenye umuhimu kidini.
of menstruating girls and women.
na wanawake walio kwenye hedhi.
on younger girls in a family.
kwa wasichana wadogo katika familia.
accepting such restrictions as norms.
wakikubali vizuizi hivyo kama desturi.
from generation to generation.
kizazi hata kizazi.
taaluma hii,
and wash their dishes separately.
na kuosha vyombo vyao kwa kutengwa.
to take baths during periods,
kuoga wakati wa siku zao,
secluded from other family members.
hata na ndugu wengine wa familia.
and women in India
na wanawake India
customs on their periods every month.
ya mila kwenye siku zao kila mwezi.
and self-confidence of a young girl?
na kujiamini kwa msichana mdogo?
that this inflicts,
ambacho hili huumiza,
during her early formative years?
katika miaka ya awali ya uumbaji wake?
restrictive customs for 13 years,
ya kimila kwa miaka 13,
about menstruation forever.
kuhusu hedhi milele.
our postgraduation in design.
tunasoma stashada katika ubunifu.
discussing periods with him.
kujadiliana naye kuhusu siku zangu.
that girls get painful cramps
wasichana hupata maumivu makali
upon menstruating girls and women
wasichana na wanawake walio kwenye hedhi
and learn more about menstruation.
kujifunza kuhusu hedhi.
about menstruation myself.
nilionao kuhusu hedhi,
actually turned out to be myths.
vilikuja kuwa ni imani potofu,
who would be ill-informed, too.
nje waliofundishwa vibaya, pia.
the lack of awareness about menstruation
ukosefu wa ufahamu kuhusu hedhi
and misconception is a rural phenomenon,
kuelewa vibaya ni tatizo la vijijini,
an urban phenomenon as well.
ni tatizo la mijini pia.
urban class, also.
mijini, pia.
parents and teachers,
pamoja na waalimu,
wanted to educate girls about periods
kuelimisha wasichana kuhusu siku zao
getting their menstrual cycle.
kupata mzunguko wao wa hedhi.
the proper means themselves.
njia stahiki.
and shameful in talking about it.
na fedheha kuongelea jambo hilo.
in classes six and seven,
wakiwa darasa la sita na la saba,
only in standard eight and nine.
darasa la nane na la tisa tu.
skip the subject altogether.
wanairuka mada.
teach girls about periods,
wasichana kuhusu siku zao,
and we wondered:
na tulijiuliza
about menstruation on their own --
kuhusu hedhi wao wenyewe --
parents and teachers
wazazi na waalimu
comfortably to young girls?
kwa raha kwa wasichana wadogo?
of girls during their periods.
wasichana kipindi cha siku zao.
curious and interested
wawe wadadisi na kuvutiwa
in their close circle.
ndani ya watu wao wa karibu.
that would make the girls curious
kingewafanya wasichana wawe wadadisi
to teach girls about periods.
kufundisha wasichana kuhusu siku zao.
cha vikatuni
would enact these stories
wataigiza hadithi hizi
in a fun and engaging way.
kwa njia ya kufurahisha na kuwashirikisha.
in their different phases of puberty,
katika hatua zao tofauti za kubalehe,
during the narrative of the book
wakati wa simulizi za kitabu
been getting her period.
amekuwa akipata siku zake.
about the various aspects of growing up
kuhusu vipengele kadhaa vya ukuaji
ulitumia umakini
were objectionable in any way
vilikuwa na pingamizi lolote
we found that the girls loved the book.
tuligundua wasichana wakilipenda kitabu.
about periods on their own.
kuhusu siku zao wao wenyewe.
comfortable in talking about periods
hawaoni shida kuongea kuhusu siku
were interested in reading it.
walivutiwa kukisoma.
in creating an environment
katika kujenga mazingira
themselves to educate girls
sampuli ya awali kuelimisha wasichana
in five different states in India.
katika majimbo matano tofauti India.
took this prototype to educate young monks
sampuli hii kuelimisha watawa vijana
Ladakh.
called "Menstrupedia Comic"
tukakiita "Menstrupedia Comic"
educated by using the book in India and --
kwa kutumia kitabu India na --
into different languages
katika lugha tofauti
nchi
in different countries.
katika nchi tofauti.
a part of their school curriculum
kuwa sehemu ya mtaala wa shule zao
teachers, school principals,
waalimu, wakuu wa mashule
drive to their own communities,
wa hedhi kwa jamii zao,
learn about periods at the right age
kuhusu siku zao katika umri sahihi
where menstruation is not a curse,
ambapo hedhi sio laana,
maisha ya msichana.
to all the parents here.
kwa wazazi wote hapa.
katika siku.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Aditi Gupta - Social entrepreneur, co-founder of MenstrupediaAditi Gupta uses storytelling and art to educate young girls about menstruation.
Why you should listen
Aditi Gupta is a social entrepreneur and co-founder of Menstrupedia, working towards spreading awareness about menstruation. While studying at the National Institute of Design as a Ford Foundation research scholar, she has conducted extensive research in understanding the scenario of menstrual unawareness in India and its impact on a girl's life. She has designed effective educational tools for girls and schools using storytelling and sequential art for educating young girls about periods in a society where the subject is a major taboo.
Menstrupedia Comic is a complete guide on periods designed by Menstrupedia team being used by more than 30 schools across India. The books are being distributed in other countries like Nepal, South America and Nigeria.
Gupta is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and made it to the achiever's list of Forbes India 30 under 30 in 2014 for her work towards breaking the taboo around menstruation. She is a International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC and BBC. She aspires to create a future where menstruation is not a taboo but a welcoming change in a girl's life.
Aditi Gupta | Speaker | TED.com