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Empowered Women Empowering Women
The time when we united voices and cycles with Women in Concert

Singer-songwriter Abhaya Subba has always been an inspiration to me, not just as a powerhouse of talent but as someone whose passion aligns so deeply with mine. We first met back in 2020 during the height of COVID while planning a menstrual health project for far-western Nepal. It didn’t take long for us to click—sharing our dreams, frustrations, and a shared vision for empowering women. Even though that project didn’t pan out, our connection did, and I’ve been lucky enough to now call her Abhaya didi. Fast forward to this summer, I reached out to her for our creative workshop, and she graciously joined.

Abhaya didi was neck-deep in preparations for the 2024 Women In Concert (WIC) during our workshop. I kept following the journey closely on Instagram. It wasn’t just excitement building up; it was more like a pinch-me moment when she reached out and asked Pyari to host a menstrual health awareness workshop at Kathmandu World School (KWS) during WIC. Imagine a space surrounded by green hills just outside the capital, providing the perfect setting for an event like this. When she suggested we also showcase our menstrual bracelets, which were a hit at our previous workshop, I knew this was going to be something special.

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Our collaboration kicked off with an event in KWS on the 27th to celebrate Women In Concert with the theme of "Menstrual Pride." We introduced our very first menstrual game—Pyari Bingo—to over 150 students. Picture this: four of us—Nikita, Shaili, Swarnima, and I—spent 8 hours designing 120 Bingo card combinations, ensuring every experience with menstruation was woven into an exciting gameplay. The result? Pure joy. Seeing both girls and boys from grade 7 and up fully engaged was heartwarming, but nothing beat the moment when two boys, winners of the full-house, said they’d gift their prize bracelets to their mom and sister. It was one of those moments where all our hard work felt truly meaningful.

But that was just the beginning. We spent the next 48 hours creating 200 menstrual bracelets and prepping for our stall at the main concert on 29th June. Our team worked around the clock—singing, eating, gossiping, and crafting these bracelets like a mini-factory. It was a beautiful chaos, and in the midst of it all, our reel was going viral on Instagram! We watched in disbelief as our views shot up from 1 to 20 million in just two days. It felt surreal, both online and offline.

On concert day, we set up our stall by 11 AM alongside local vendors. Our Period Peek-a-boo game drew in around 200 people—everyone from kids as young as 8 to adults in their 50s—and we handed out earrings as prizes, made from the leftover beads. The best part? Men were equally excited about our menstrual bracelets, buying them for their girlfriends, moms, sisters, and friends. It was so sweet and heartwarming to witness.

The day ended with a bang—quite literally—with an epic concert featuring the six WIC finalists and Abhaya and the Steam Engines. We belted out "Laijau Malai" and "Aaja Kina," dancing our hearts out with the band and the crowd. It was a night that captured the essence of what WIC and Pyari stand for: empowered women, empowering each other.

This collaboration with WIC wasn’t just an event; it was a celebration of womanhood in all its forms, and it marked a significant moment for Pyari. A huge thank you to Abhaya didi and Women In Concert for this incredible experience that has sparked something big for us and brought us even closer.

Written by Priyanshu Pokhrel
October 19, 2024
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Kathmandu,Schools,Collaboration