Nov 13, Kathmandu - Ramprasad Rai Rural Municipality of Bhojpur has started installing automatic sanitary pad dispensing machines in schools, targeting the health and convenience of frmale students. The machines have been installed with the aim of encouraging female students to come to school with ease and confidence during menstruation.

The rural municipality has so far installed the machines in nine out of the twelve community schools and the remaining schools will be installed soon, informed the rural municipality chairperson Tham Bahadur Rai.

The rural municipality plans to install such machines in seven secondary schools and five basic schools in the first phase. Using the card system through the machines, female students will be able to get the required sanitary pads at school itself.

According to the Education Department, this scheme will be effective in solving the problem of decreasing school attendance of girls due to menstruation. The department has stated that after the installation of the machine, it will help the girls come to school with self-respect. The department believes that the attendance rate of girls will increase with the distribution of pads in the schools. The rural municipality has planned to install such machines in other schools in the coming phase, as well as conduct awareness programs for students.