Menstruation is a healthy and normal, albeit somewhat inconvenient, aspect of womanhood. Though an integral part of life, the ins and outs of it are not commonly taught to not only girls stepping into adolescence, but women in general. Likewise, good menstrual practices too are not prevalently shared among women. The lack of healthy menstrual habits can lead to many adverse effects that can manifest physically, mentally and emotionally. Therefore, upkeeping menstrual hygiene not only alleviates some of the discomfort associated with a monthly period but also ensures a healthy and wholesome life. Being prepared for your upcoming period is important. Tracking your cycle is one way to know when to expect your next period and can help avoid unnecessary…
Author: RotaractArts
Let’s Talk Periods: Period Poverty in Sri Lanka
“Meeting the hygiene needs of all adolescent girls is a fundamental issue of human rights, dignity, and public health” - Sanjay Wijesekera, former UNICEF Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene ‘Menstruation’ is a taboo topic which is rarely ever discussed publicly and freely and categorized by cultural stigma and shame across the globe. Menstruation, or period is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as a part of a woman’s monthly cycle. Period Poverty is the lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management or a combination of these which is an important subject area for women and girls as well as the society as a whole. It describes the struggle of low income girls and women face while…
Let’s Talk Periods: Impacts Of Menstrual Products On The Environment
Menstruation being a part of life for around 1.9 billion girls and women, menstrual products are amongst the most vital personal care products in the world. During menstruation, menstrual management products are used for feminine hygiene. Were you aware that an individual utilizes approximately 11,000 disposable sanitary pads in a lifetime? Even though we see these menstrual products such as tampons and pantyliners to be small and insignificant things, it has a tremendous environmental impact. It can cause resource wastage, emission of greenhouse gases, contamination of soil and groundwater and many more. In detail, over 200,000 tons of waste are produced each year from sanitary pads, its packaging and individual wraps, which are mostly contained of plastic that require an…
The Spice of Life
I wake up on a usual Sunday morning and look Usually at the unusual year planner on my wall. The even squares of days, grin with a bored look, And sadly, shows me the same words on each slot. I open a grey wardrobe full of grey clothes to look For the usual dress I wear, now worn-out as rags. I sit on a chair and read the same crimped page for The zillionth time with closed, soar and sleepy eyes. I pick up one by one, the thrown-out, small wailing Invitation cards and, put them on intense red fires. Clitter, clatter and shatter the silver spoons and Pots and dishes embrace each other in pure love. The shining, stunning…
The Colorless Rainbow
The rain seized, after a loud and loathing downpour,The heavy grey clouds drifted apart slowly as a snail.Light sun rays touched the dusty windows in glamour.In a dark room, sleeps sluggishly a boy with a ponytail,Clinging to pinkish blanket and dressed in girly clothes.In a far-away lonely street, lags behind a sporty girl,And walks behind her some boys calling rude names.A slim boy walks past, as doors beside close and whirl. Eyes pop-up, murmurs begin as two men hold hands,In an ‘available for all’ bus seat and embrace in love.A person lost in sex is frowned upon by some doctors,He is hopeless in front of lawyers feeling aggressive.Two girly mammas and dadas get blamed at work,Sans any compassion, like some…
The Loudest Whistle
The room filled with pin drop silence. I can hear my own heart beat syncing with those on stage. As I look over at the immense crowd gathered here, I can feel the tension. I close my eyes, praying to God. "Please, let her win!" Ever since I dropped out of the contest, my only hope was to see my best friend winning the competition, to see her coming back home, with the trophy in her hands. Now that the moment is seconds away, I can feel my stomach knotting up. Not that I hate Jasmine. She became a good friend of both of us a few weeks ago. She is an extremely talented girl, and everybody says she moves…
Conventionally Unconventional
Culture refers to aspects of human-made elements, including tools, dress, and media, in addition to values, attitudes, and norms. For example, the dress is a significant part of almost every culture. That represents the unique verity of that particular identity. And the styles of the specific dress depend on culture. Cultures have the power to make the style according to its limitations. Therefore, we can come to one particular argument; 'cultures frame the style'. Cultural patterns are characteristic behaviours and often include a complex array of choices. A culture may afford more than one way of doing the same thing. Hence, diversity in behaviours may be found in some aspects of any culture. The bohemians, as a counterculture, appeared in France…
Embracing Darkness
I feel nothing.My mind numb.And my heart, empty. I see no harmony of colours,Nor any chaos of emotion.Eyes fixed on a blank canvas,With nothing to spoil its surface.There are no rivers but a lake,Water still and unmoving.It reveals not its secrets,Muddied by stagnant waters.Should I embrace stillness,Or seek disruption? How perplexing is Human Nature,Not able to be still but afraid to move.Am I embracing the darkness I manifest?I think I’m in love. Am I crazy? Maybe.But this darkness is more alive to me than any light. - Rtr. Yeshani Fernando (@Caffeine_n_Stokes818)
Human Candle
The scent is driving me mad, which leave traces in your footpath.They watch as you dissipate with every single whiff of perfume.Torn between love for you and greed for that oh-so-perfect scent.I look at you and I wonder why you choose to dissipate? You are still so beautiful even just as sculptured waxYet you melt, to please those who fall for your scent.A candle with a spirit that runs away from my hands,That fruitlessly try to capture you in a glass chamber. Maybe I am the truly greedy one,For wanting you to choose comfort. - Caffeine_n_Stokes
Eternal Whispers
As unsettling sensations create rippling shivers from within,Winds and landscapes call my name in haunting whispers.My gut clenches with unease, and longing engulfs my being,As the inner voice screams for me to run beyond what I see. The embrace of a familiar warmth is in the way of destiny,Blocking the unknown darkness that sing songs of seduction.The promise of adventures and a life of riddles, lure me inTo a vast expanse of nothing but footsteps of lonely souls. As my imagination treks on the outskirts of the wasteland,Lullabies that sing of sweet nothings promise me the world.They travel my mind and take hostage of my dulled senses,Voices of reason call me back from a love that will never fade. As…