Khin Tharaphy Oo — Pad Donation Myanmar, a charity group formed by students, will provide sanitary pads for women who are sheltering at camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State.

Ma Nan Thin Myat Su Aung, a member of Pad Donation Myanmar, said the group is asking for donations through its Facebook page after hearing that IDP women in Arakan State did not have sufficient supplies of sanitary pads.

“They might face infection if they use an unclean cloth or something [unsuitable] as a pad. I also heard they have to spend their money meant for food to buy pads. I was so sad and arranged the donation,” she said.

Pad Donation Myanmar aims to provide pads for IDP camps in Arakan State in the second week of January.

IDP women say they are provided pads occasionally and have to buy them at higher prices when their camps are in short supply.

“We haven’t been provided pads recently. We have to buy them. Sometimes, we cannot afford to buy them,” said Ma Mya Aye Than, who is taking refuge at Aloedawpyae IDP camp in Rathedaung Township.

According to figures from the Rakhine Ethnics Congress released on December 3, there are more than 190,000 IDPs in Arakan State, with women comprising about 60%.

Those wishing to donate money to Pad Donation Myanmar to help supply sanitary pads to IDP women can contact the group at the link here.