Pehchaan is a menstrual health and hygiene programme that Global Sikhs runs with the Centre for Women's Studies at Punjabi University, Patiala. Volunteers hold sessions for women in villages across Punjab and for students in schools and colleges, then give each person sanitary pads and record who received them.
At each stop
What happens at a Pehchaan session
1The women gather
Volunteers set up in a space the village already shares — a courtyard under a tree, a community hall, a shed — and the women and girls sit together on mats.
2Volunteers go through the poster
Volunteers from Global Sikhs and the Centre for Women’s Studies hold up a poster in Punjabi and go through it point by point, then take questions.
3Each woman signs for her pads
Each woman gives her name, her family details, a phone number and her Aadhaar number. She receives her sanitary pads, and the volunteer marks her entry as received.
What is taught
During your period — what to do and what not to do
“Menstruation is a natural process. There is nothing in it to be ashamed of.”
Do
- Use a clean sanitary pad or cloth, and change it every 4 to 6 hours.
- Bathe every day and keep your body clean.
- Wear clean cotton underwear.
- Drink enough water and eat healthy food.
- Rest when you are tired. Light exercise or yoga helps.
- Write down the date your period starts.
Don’t
- Don't keep one pad on for a long time.
- Don't use a dirty cloth, or one that hasn't been washed properly.
- Don't ignore pain or other problems — take medicine or see a doctor in time.
- Avoid very oily, spicy and junk food, and cold things.
- Don't lift heavy loads or do very hard exercise.
Distribution
Who has received pads, and where
The programme began in villages around Patiala, then moved into schools and colleges. Every person below is a named entry on the beneficiary sheet.
- In eight villages
- 1,372
- Students at a school and a college
- 354
- People in all, to 9 September 2026
- 1,726
Villages
| Date | Place | People |
|---|---|---|
| 13 May | Raipur Mandla | 292 |
| 20 May | Mehmadpur | 156 |
| 3 June | Chmarheri | 192 |
| 20 June | Alamdipur | 159 |
| 25 June | Sonta | 155 |
| 4 July | Haripur Jhungiya | 140 |
| 6 July | SDKS Yadvendra Puran Bal Niketan | 50 |
| 17 July | Seel | 228 |
Schools and colleges
| Date | Place | People |
|---|---|---|
| 23 July | Government Senior Secondary School, Ajrawar | 117 |
| 9 Sept | Mata Sahib Kaur Girls' College, Talwandi Sabo | 237 |