Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA), one of the leading global hygiene and forest products companies based in Sweden, and the Geneva-based Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), have recently organized menstrual hygiene training for young girls in Haikou, China, with support from the General Office of Women and Children Affairs of Hainan provincial government.

A group of women were also educated by WSSCC in a train-the-trainers session to continue to spread the knowledge around menstruation; in the long run necessary to achieve sustainable change, as part of the training program. A group of women including doctors, teachers, and community volunteer organizers had been trained in a train-the-trainers session by WSSCC the day before the training program.

Archana Patkar, the training programme manager from WSSCC said, “The training went very well and it shows that the WSSCC/SCA partnership will leave a positive and lasting imprint for girls and young women in Haikou while also raising awareness of menstrual hygiene issues globally. We’re grateful to the Hainan Provincial Government for welcoming and supporting us in this work.”

Kersti Strandqvist, senior vice president, sustainability said, “SCA’s partnership with WSSCC helps us to reach out and make a difference in people’s lives. This is the second training session on menstrual hygiene management we have jointly organized.” (GK)