Summer Newsletter 2026- Nepal

The focus of FHN’s activities in Nepal continues to be on improving women’s health. Over the past year the menstrual cup project has grown further and is now running in both the Palpa and Dang district.

Following the successful start in Palpa, the project was expanded to Dang in cooperation with the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN), which is under the Nepali Ministry of Health and responsible for implementing the menstrual cups. Instructions and follow-up support have been provided to the girls and women, which has helped them to have a continuous and positive experience using the menstrual cups. Nurses and local staff have been helping them as they become familiar with using the cups. The first experiences from both districts have been very encouraging.

The project has not only been about providing menstrual cups, but also about creating a space where menstruation can be discussed more openly. As men and boys are talking about the subject more, the stigma is being reduced. Around Menstrual Hygiene Day in May, FPAN organized several activities to raise awareness and encourage open conversations about menstrual health. The day received a great engagement and appreciation.

The work will continue with the aim of reaching more girls and women and strengthening the menstrual health activities in the communities where FPAN is already working.

We are very happy to see how the project has grown from its beginnings in Palpa and how well the cooperation with FPAN and the local teams has worked. Most importantly, the feedback from the girls and women taking part shows that this support can make a real difference in their everyday lives.

Thank you all for your continued and loyal support, on behalf of all the women and girls in Palpa and Dang, and everyone involved in making this project possible.

The focus of FHN’s activities in Nepal is increasingly shifting toward women’s health: a few days ago, we were able to expand the menstrual cup project to another district (comparable to a federal state)! After the distribution of menstrual cups, instructions, and follow-up activities were successfully completed in Palpa, the neighboring district Dang is now next in line.

In cooperation with the Family Planning Association (FPAN), which is under the Nepali Ministry of Health and responsible for implementation on site, the team in Dang is now starting preparations for the initial phase. Expanding the menstrual cup project to other districts was the plan and wish of both FPAN and FHN. Dang is a very densely populated district, which brings different and potentially new challenges. FHN is very pleased to collaborate so effectively with local experts to enable a successful implementation. Project coordinator Dr. Malin Emgård has also contributed significantly. She will be on site again in November and will report on the latest developments in the Christmas newsletter.

The most recent trainee laboratory assistant for the health station in Thorkapa, Samjhana, whose training was co-financed by FHN, has successfully passed her second-year final exams with an excellent score of 79%. This corresponds to a solid B+ in our grading system. Samjhana is currently in her third year at Kathmandu Medical College (KMC), the major hospital in the capital Kathmandu. It is a respected university hospital, and she is enjoying her time there. She has a long commute to the university, which she travels daily by tuktuk or minibus. The journey takes about 1.5 hours one way.

We thank you all for your continuous and loyal support – on behalf of the fully trained students, Samjhana, and all women and girls in Palpa and, in the future, also in Dang!