Strength TogetHER 16 - Session 3

27th November 2021.

Strength togetHER facilitated by Lokopakar provides a safe platform for girls to share their personal stories, ideas, and feelings. Our third session of Strength TogetHER in Mahendra Bhawan School, Sano Gaucharan with the collaboration of Ward no. 5 was on the topic “My first-period story”. Girls were asked to recall their memories of their first period and how they felt during that time.

We started our session with full enthusiasm and a room filled with good energy. With the hand raised to tell the story first our first participant started her first-period story. She mentioned that she was in her house wearing makeup-clicking pictures. Then she suddenly felt the urge to go to the toilet and she found out she was on her period. She really felt shy when she found out she was having her period.

Another participant raised her hand tall, to share her story. It was the time of Dashain and she was in her maternal uncle's home for the festive. She suddenly saw blood and figure out she was on her period. She felt really nervous from outside but she felt really happy inside. Almost all of us feel the same as we can brag to our friends but still feel shame to share it.

Our next participant, recalls having ‘nightmares’ and waking up early. Looking at the blood in her innerwear she thought it was dysentery. There was no female family member in her home so she grabbed her phone and found one of her friends online. She shared with her what exactly happened which concluded in her having period. After confirming, she told her grandfather that she has period, he hurriedly asked him to go inside the room. She received a packet of pads but she could not read the instruction section. During her first time, she used to use one packet in one day. She also thought “Am I going to die anytime soon?”

Our next participant had her first period after the vacation of Tihar. She called her aunt and told her she is having a period. But her aunt laughed. Later she was given a pad.

Another participant had her period in her village during the lockdown. She went to the bathroom and could see blood. So she told her sister about it. She was then taken to a separate room and was not allowed to touch her grandfather and other members. She used clothes for her first period. But now she prefers to use a pad over clothes.

When our next participant was in Grade 6 she had her periods. Her parents were out for the night and she also knew what period was. But she really got blank when she saw blood in her innerwear. She could not tell her aunt back home so she called her mother to inform her about her period. Her mother mentioned that her period has started but she kept denying them again and again. She felt nervous and after that, it started to become normal.

Our next participant had her period during the lockdown. She was excited to get to buy new clothes. She went to the toilet and found blood and she asked her mother but she said it was nothing. She told her sister about it and they gave her the pad. She wasted one pad before she could learn how to use it. After that, she went to get new clothes.

Our next participant was playing with her sister and she suddenly felt stomach pain. She also saw blood in her innerwear. She was given a pad by her mother. Her mother took her to the storeroom and she was kept there for 4 days. It was a really difficult time for her.

Our participant was 12 years old when she had her first periods. She was at her Fufu’s house she did not know if it was period or not. Her sister taught her how to wear a pad and other information.

Our next participant had her period on the second lockdown. She was really afraid when she saw blood in her innerwear. Looking at her frightened her mother laughed at her but this was a really difficult time for her.

After finishing her finals of Grade 5, she was about to go to the village. When she went to the toilet, she saw black blood and she was asked to wear clothes as pads. And she was not allowed to go to the kitchen, god house, and near male family.

Our next participant had a stain on her trousers. Her mother saw and asked if she was on her period? She really felt shy and also she did not know how to wear a pad. For more than 1-2 hours she did not go to her father as she really felt shy to look at him. She also avoided the kitchen as she heard her friends saying they were not allowed inside the kitchen. But her mother said they did not follow those rules in their home. After one day only she started talking with family members.

Another participant had her period in school and did not know what the blood was. She went home and changed her underwear. Returning home she was taken up and was kept inside for 12 days. Her friends visited her during that time. She had stomach pain in her first period.

Our next participant had her period in the school. She was in Grade 5. Her mother in later of Grade 5 always sent her pad and extra innerwear. She was confused for a while if it was just pee or blood. But due to her mother, she always had extra which really helped her a lot.

Last but not least our next participants have not had periods yet. She told how she felt unease and really felt dirty about periods when her sister had it. But now after hearing all the stories, she thinks it's natural and her only wish is not to have her first period in the village.

In between stories we talked about different topics related to periods. Some of the discussed points are:

• Even if we use clothes we will have to dry them out in sun, this will help to kill germs.

• Double padding can be really useful during nighttime.

• It is suggested to change our pad every 6 hours for our own safety and hygiene.

• Drinking saltwater or jwano pani can prevent cramps.

• A hot water bag can be used to reduce the pain.

• 10 out of 15 girls have cramps.

• 8 out of 10 girls were taught how to use a pad early.

• Periods can be tracked through the app called FLO.

• Periods are normal and having them regularly means you are healthy.

• Our body is different and our periods are also different. So it is important to take care of our bodies accordingly.

• It is normal to have periods being Girl.

• Proper use of both pad and clothes should be done.

With all these personal stories in the first period, we ended our session with the group photo. We had a good time listening as well as sharing our stories. After the end of each session, we are creating wonderful memories and strengthening our bond. 

Written by - Barsha Tamang (LOKOPAKAR)