The Stories Hidden Behind First Periods”

As the world prepares to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day, we gathered with parents in our community for a conversation that was honest, emotional, nostalgic and deeply important.

We sat together under one roof, not as experts and participants, but as daughters, mothers, fathers, aunties and community members reflecting on a shared experience that has too often been hidden in silence: menstruation.

For many parents, this was the first time they had openly spoken about their first encounter with periods.

Some laughed while remembering the confusion of their teenage years. Others became emotional recalling fear, shame, embarrassment and isolation. One mother shared how she thought she was seriously ill the first time she saw blood on her clothes because no one had ever explained menstruation to her. Another parent explained that in her village, girls learned about periods only after they had already started menstruating.

The stories were different, but one thing connected them all: silence.

Many parents told us that nobody prepared them for menstruation. Some learned from older sisters or friends. Others were scolded instead of comforted. A few said they were simply handed cloth pieces and told, “You are now a woman.”

During the dialogue, parents also shared the different materials they used during their teenage years. Some used old cloth "endobe' in absence of knickers or layers of fabric because sanitary pads were too expensive or unavailable. These memories reminded us how access to menstrual products remains a challenge for many girls today, especially in underserved communities.

What made the conversation powerful was not only the stories themselves, but the willingness of parents to reflect on how they can support the next generation differently.

Many spoke about wanting their daughters to grow up informed instead of afraid. Fathers in attendance shared the importance of being involved in conversations around menstrual health and breaking the belief that periods are “women’s issues” only.

The dialogue became more than a discussion about menstruation. It became a conversation about dignity, communication, healing and generational change.

As Menstrual Hygiene Day approaches, we are reminded that menstrual health is not just about pads. It is about education. It is about safe spaces. It is about ensuring that no menstruator feels ashamed of a natural process the body goes through.

At Girls Menarche Initiative, we believe community conversations like these are essential in breaking stigma and building a future where girls can menstruate with confidence, support, and dignity.

Because when parents begin to speak openly, silence begins to lose its power.

shes describing how they used a cloth without knickers.