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October Update

Update for the October 2023 period, including details this month's meeting, and our following event.

In October DBHS had a special meeting in that we invited Izzy Brown, immediate past President of Rotary Forth Bridges to give a presentation on their PADS Project in partnership with a Bhadgaun Rotary Club in Nepal. The women of Nepal are banished to the “red shed”, as they call it during the time of the month when their period is taking place. I was astonished that, If a youngster, sometimes as young as 12 is banished to the hut, then their mother will go with her and all the younger members of the family. It seems that the husband has nothing to do with the children in the family and it is all down to the mother.

Photography of Michael Gourlay and Izzy Brown at the previous DBHS event

The Fife Club visited Nepal in 2022 and presented schools in villages throughout the region with each young girl with a little waterproof bag containing pants, two washable pads, a flannel, and a wee bar of soap. Often the visitors would get to one village and were told of another, unknown to them, village a few miles up the mountain. The girls and women of the village were brought together and were given a presentation about the PADS project. Eventually the boys and men of the village were included so that they learned of the problems that the women were having as well. The elders of the village were not included because they were set in their ways and would not change. The younger men, who would eventually become the elders were told all about it so they eventually would handle the situation properly.

Rotary Forth Bridges made a big impression on the people of Nepal. The pads are now manufactured in Nepal and distributed by Bhadguan Rotary Club. Rotary Forth Bridges raised £160 in donations for their PADS Project at the October DBHS Meeting.

On 3rd November 2023, Stan da Prato will give a presentation to DBHS called “Crimes Behind the Compost Heap - the Shocking Truth About Life and Death in Your Garden”. Sound intriguing, doesn't it?

If you think you might be interested, come along, you will be made welcome.

The “Jobs for” October part of the DBHS report is on the tips page to see what jobs you should be doing at this time of year.

Sincerely,

Michael Gourlay

Chairman