Celebration Days
Hanaru has had the honour of joining different celebrations - those around menstruation and community gratitude celebrations.
While there are so many positives to celebrate, Hanaru also acknowledges the tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done for girls and women in India.
International days
The Ambassadors have timed some of their distribution events to coincide with internationally recognised days, which highlight the issues surrounding menstruation.
Red Dot Challenge Day
The 'Red Dot Challenge' in India is a collaboration between UNICEF, adolescent girls, women, and advocates which seeks to dispel period stigma. UNICEF wants a world where no girl or woman is held back because of the natural menstrual cycle, and where period poverty and persisting taboos are history.
Hanaru took part in the Challenge, with Ambassador Pooja G distributing Packs in the Jhangirpuri Slum. All the girls had a red dot painted on their palms to take a stand with girls around the world to no longer feel ashamed about their menstrual cycle.
World Menstrual Hygiene Day
Menstrual Hygiene Day is a global advocacy platform that brings together non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media to promote good menstrual health and hygiene.
We took part in World Menstrual Hygiene Day with Ambassador Pooja distributing Packs in the Shahbad Dairy Slum.
International Women's Day - 8th March
International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.
In 2024 Kayoko and Priyanka distributed napkins in the Bawana slum for the first time and revisited the Vasant Vihari Slum.
The Bawana slum has some of the worst living conditions in Delhi. There is more information about it on our 'Ambassadors in Delhi's slums' page
In 2023, Kayoko and the Ambassadors visited Shahbad Dairy Slum, one of the biggest in Delhi, to distribute Napkin Kits and provide menstrual education. They were joined by Professor Principal Mamta Sharma and Assistant Professor Dr Mali Devi Sawariya, both of Aditi College, University of Delhi. Students and teachers from Aomori Akenohoshi, a Japanese high school, joined via Zoom.
Community Celebration Days
Invitation to Holi Spring Festival
Kayoko and the Ambassadors were invited to celebrate 'Holi', the [Indian] Colour Festival of Spring, with some of the children in one of the largest slums in Delhi - including girls that had previously received menstrual education and Napkin Kits from Hanaru, and who were grateful and wanted to show their appreciation. The Yamuna Khadar Slum in Mayur Vihar is inhabited by thousands of poor workers. They do not have toilets, electricity, or other basic amenities. When the Yamuna River floods, they have to leave their huts and take refuge on nearby streets.
The children had great fun throwing many different coloured powders at each other. The organisers were true to their promise that, instead of powder, they would kindly sprinkle beautiful flower petals on their guests. Holi is the Hindu Festival of Colours, Love and Spring. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the divine love of the Gods Radha and Krishna. The celebrations start on the night before Holi with prayers, singing, dancing and the lighting of bonfires. On the day of Holi, people play with colours with their friends and families.
Thank You, Hanaru
Hanaru has been invited to join celebrations as communities say 'Thank You' for its distributions of Napkin Packs and menstrual education.
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