Deloitte & Perfect Fit: Ending Menstrual Health and Financial Literacy Gaps for Teachers in Bali

by Angelica Raras Anindiati Ningtyas

Have you ever wondered why, in our age of information overload, some essential knowledge gaps still exist? We're bombarded with content every day, yet many people, still reluctant to talk about things that are deemed taboos such as period, sexuality education, and how to manage our personal finances.

Schools function as powerful agents of socialization. The environment, including schoolmates, teachers, and curriculum, can have lasting impacts on child development. However, curriculums often don't keep pace with the evolving needs of the younger generation. Sexuality education in Indonesia, for example, might be lacking or outdated, and financial literacy programs may not be practically implemented.

Sexuality, despite its frequent portrayal in mass media, remains a taboo topic in many societies. This silence can lead to a significant knowledge gap, particularly for young people. Financial literacy is another area where knowledge gaps are prevalent. Even in urban areas, many people haven't received thorough financial education. Imagine the situation in remote communities!

The partnership between Perfect Fit and Deloitte aims to bridge these very gaps. Through their initiative, Bridging the Knowledge Gap: Menstrual Health Education and Basic Financial Literacy Empowerment for Remote Communities, we are equipping teachers with the knowledge and tools to address these critical topics with their students.

A Purpose-Driven Partnership

Perfect Fit, a Bali-based startup with a mission to empower women and girls to have better menstrual health through earth and body friendly period products and education. Deloitte, a global leader in consulting, demonstrates its commitment to social impact through its impressive corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, Deloitte WorldClass.

When these two organizations joined forces, they saw an opportunity to create a powerful partnership that would make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. During the training, we also involve KISARA (Kita Sayang Remaja), Bali Regional PKBI youth program, which actively campaigns and advocates for the provision of reproductive and sexual health education and services for teenagers in Bali.

Empowering Teachers, Empowering Communities

This partnership focuses on training junior high (SMP) and high school (SMA) teachers because they are uniquely positioned to make a significant difference. By equipping them with the knowledge about menstrual health, sexuality education and financial literacy, the program enables teachers to deepen their understanding of puberty, menstrual myths, sexual harassment in schools, and financial management. The knowledge will be transferred to the students so they can also become agents of change within their communities.

Around 100 teachers in Gianyar Regency, Bali, have been trained, and it's estimated they will reach over 10,000 students. This translates to a generation of young people who are more informed, confident, and prepared to navigate their lives with greater well-being and financial security.

Additionally, this event goes beyond the program delivery itself. Below are some insights from the participating teachers, highlighting how the program empowering them and their communities:

• “Understanding information related to reproductive health, forms of violence, and financial literacy is not only useful for myself but can also be shared and disseminated in school.”
• “More frequent training sessions would allow us to refresh our knowledge on reproductive health, sexual violence, and financial literacy. In the future, I’d like to join this kinda training, with longer sessions or additional days to ensure thorough understanding.”
• “Training like this is crucial as a guide for our work in dealing with adolescents.”
• “Hoping to receive more learning opportunities and discuss real-life cases that occur in schools, especially regarding sexual violence and its management.”

The Perfect Fit x Deloitte partnership goes beyond simply teaching facts and figures. It equips teachers to have open conversations about finances and menstruation in their communities. More importantly, the program goes a step further by equipping teachers with facilitation skills. This empowers them to not only be knowledgeable educators, but also skilled facilitators who can guide productive discussions with their students. By equipping teachers with these essential tools, the program paves the way for a future where young people are empowered to make informed choices about their health and finances.