Foreword

final report

Dear reader,

In a period of four years, Simavi, RedOrange and TNO, worked with BNPS and DORP, towards improved menstrual health of girls in Bangladesh. This report is the final delivery towards our donor, The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It showcases our results: from the impressive reach of our mass media campaigns to the data from the randomized controlled trial (evaluation) that shows the impact of the Ritu programme on girls’ menstrual health.

At the same time, we wanted to create a resource document for the Ritu partners and other organisations working on menstrual health in Bangladesh and beyond. This is why we go further than just showcasing our results. We provide details on our approaches and reflections on what worked and what did not work. We also present our key lessons learned. We feel that it’s important to be transparent and open, so that these lessons are available for others too. We hope to inspire donors and organisations to invest in menstrual health.

This report reflects the impact Ritu has made, the changes we see every day with our own eyes. I see girls that are not ashamed because of menstruation, talking openly about menstruation, expressing their needs, playing and exercising during menstruation, going to school or work. I see fathers buying pads and mothers giving nutritious food to their daughters during menstruation. I see teachers proudly teaching about menstruation as a normal and natural function of our bodies. A dark area has been illuminated; the sun is shining – almost as if the Ritu logo has predicted it’s course.

Mahbuba Kumkum Programme Manager Ritu Simavi Bangladesh