Menstrual education and dignity is the right of every woman, says UK-based charity
Binti International (BintiPeriod.org) is a UK-based charity with a vision to create a world where all women have menstrual dignity. Manjit Gill is the founder and CEO of Binti and is passionate about providing basic menstrual rights to women and girls globally. Through media campaigns, workshops and the provision of menstrual pads, Binti is successfully reaching young people all over the...
Concerns are growing over the ‘deep’ racial inequality that the spread of the virus has exposed in Britain
Black and Asian people are more likely than white people to be fined in London under coronavirus laws, official data showed on Wednesday, as tens of thousands gathered in the British capital to protest against racism. More than half the penalties issued by London police between 27 March and 14 May for breaching new laws created to stop the spread...
Hope for the future – the importance of wellbeing in pregnancy
Pregnancy is supposed to be a time of excitement, happiness, and full of joyful moments. But 1 in 5 pregnant women suffer from stress and mental health problems (primarily anxiety and depression). In spite of the significant advancement of science, stigma and taboos still exist in our society with regards to mental health illnesses. As a result, many mothers hesitate to...
First line of defence against coronavirus
I am a commoner. We commoners only read and hear about wars, tsunamis, fires, murders, diseases. For us these things are just news, these are things that only happen to someone else. Our strongest opinions are often limited to the dining table of our house. To put it simply, we're just part of a large 'Janta'. But what if...
World Mental Health Day 2020: a tribute to the selfless Sumitra Tevani
In recent months, everyone has been talking about getting used to a new ‘normal’ in a COVID-19 world. In reality, my new normal is learning to live life to the fullest without my beautiful Mummy sending me WhatsApp messages, calling me a gazillion times a day, video calling me but then putting the phone up to her ear, sharing the...
Surviving cancer, a tale of hope: Final confirmation
(continued from "Missing The Signs") By April 2014, my tummy was increasing in size compared to the rest of my body. I looked as though I was 7 months pregnant. A telling blood test Again another trip to my GP, another scan, MRI, blood tests which revealed that my Ca125 was raised (this is a protein tumour marker to detect ovarian cancer),...
Senior citizen uses yoga to cope with COVID-19 and self-isolation
The world is in the peak of an epidemic and governments across the world have given a shout-out to the elderly (and those considered among the vulnerable group of citizens) to self-isolate in order to stay safe. It is the perfect time to exert those delightful time-management skills during old age. I am a yoga instructor and have been practicing...
World Mental Health Day 2020: music-based charity Sangeet Foundation supports mental health issues among South Asian diasporas
UK-based charity Sangeet Foundation aspires to provide “Happiness through Music”, with the help of upcoming and renowned heroes of music, by addressing issues of mental well-being. For me, happiness is a state of mind. Peel a layer and it is about mental health. Over the past year, we have worked with other charities, special needs schools, universities, and organisations that address...
