Strength TogetHER - Session 3 (My First Period Story)

February 17, 2023

Lokopakar in collaboration with ZONTA Club of Kathmandu is conducting "Strength TogetHER" sessions at Chaitanya Secondary School, Banepa. On 17th February, 2023 we conducted the session on the topic "My first period story." This has been an important topic for us and the participants as they rarely get to share these stories, and when they do share in the group they grow an empathy among their friends and get to know about each other more. The stories shared among the participants were:

"I was in class 7 when I got my first period. It was morning time. I was taken to my sister's home and put there. I attended my school though. I didn't miss my school. I was scared but overall my first period was okay."

"I got my first period when I was in class 7. My school was closed. I told my mother about it and she helped me."

"I got my first period when I was in class 8. It was the month of Asoj, just before Dashain, the major festival of Nepal. I was kept separately for about 7 days. So, when I got my period right before Dashain I was extremely sad as the ones who got period could not put tika during Dashain. But, there used to be a lot of work to be done. However, not putting on a tika meant not having to work as well. So, it was somewhat fun. I met all my sisters who came over but I could not meet my brothers since we were not allowed to see male members in our first period. I told my mother about it first but it was my aunty who taught me to put on a pad.”

“I got my first period when I was getting ready for school. It was the time around Christmas. We don’t have to stay separately so my first period was a usual day. My mother helped me during the entire process.”

“I was in school and studying in class 6 when I got my first period. I told my teacher about it and went home. We have a tradition to stay separately and we are not allowed to see the male members of the family. I was sent to my aunt's home. I had a bad backache so it was a difficult experience. But it was fun too to stay at my aunt’s home. My mother had helped and taught me to wear a pad before.”

“I got my period when I was in class 10. All my friends had already got their period. My mother said that she got her period late as well so I was not very worried about not getting my period till grade 10. My sisters helped me at that time. I was scared and wondered what was happening to me.” 

“I was in grade 6 and had gone to my village when I got my period. It was the month of Mangsir. I didn’t have a stomach ache so it was a good part. My sisters helped me. But, we had a tradition of staying separately. I had my exams so I cried and told my family that I didn’t want to stay separately. We had to stay for 7 days or more in the beginning but I insisted and stayed for 4 days only.”

“I had to go and open our shop every day. When I reached the shop early one day, I found out that I had got my periods. I was in class 6 at that time. I was scared as there was no one other in the shop. And, if I was to leave the shop and go then my father would scold me. So, I didn’t go home and waited in the shop. When I was able to go home, my pants were soaked with blood. I used a cloth first, and then my mother helped me to put it on. My mother told me not to go to school the next day. But, there was an award ceremony the next day and I had won a prize so I insisted on going. The other days were normal after that. This is my first period story.”

“I got my first period in Kartik. I was in grade 8 and was staying at home since it was a holiday. We were supposed to celebrate Tihar after a few days. I was sad during that time thinking I would not be able to celebrate Tihar. But, I could since we only had to stay separately for 4 days. My mother helped me in my first period. I used a cloth pad first but when I first saw the blood stains I was scared thinking what it was or where the blood came from.”

“When I got my first period, I had gone to my aunt’s home to do some work. I was there to plant barley. It was the rainy season. I was in grade 7 and I had gone there since it was my holiday. My aunty had a daughter who was already married at that time. So, my brother-in-law and 2 to 3 other brothers were also there. And, when we all were in the fields I realized that I got my periods. I was extremely scared. I wanted to tell my aunty about it but then I thought she would tell everyone about it so I decided to tell my sister. Then, my sister took me home and gave me a chance of clothes that my aunt owned as I had not taken a chance of clothes for myself. I was soaked at that time. She also gave me a cloth pad and taught me how to use it. When the weather settled and my own clothes dried. I changed and went home.”

"I was home when I got my first period. It was lunch time. My brother and sister-in-law had come home for lunch. There were other people too. So, I was panicking. Later, my mother came to my room and I told her. My sister-in-law asked me what happened but I was shy and could not tell her anything. I have backache and stomach ache now but I didn’t have those for the first few years when I got my period.”

“It was the time of Dashain when I got my first period. I remember that I was in class 8. We don’t have to stay separately in our family. But, my sister-in-law told me that I had to stay separately. At that time, my brother and sister-in-law stayed in a separate house than ours. So, I didn’t have to do as she suggested. We have similar programs in our village where we are taught about periods and what are the things that need to be done. After attending the session I was able to go and explain to my sister-in-law about the period and the taboos behind it. I was well informed about periods so I could manage my early period days well. 

“I was in class 8 and at home when I got my first period. My sister helped me as she was the first period I told her to. I didn’t have a lot of problems when I got my first period. All my first had already got their period so I knew about it and what to expect.”

We got very deep insights during the sessions. Even though our participants are currently studying in Grade 11, some of them still doesn't know about the brand of Sanitary Pads they use. The participants feel shy to ask sanitary pads that are available in the school. This raises a major question about the proper access of sanitary pads among Nepali women.