A New Beginning, A New Lesson
It was one of those typical afternoons when, after a family lunch, all I wanted to do was take a nap. But then I remembered a call I had received earlier from a member of our Self-Help Group (SHG), reminding me about a meeting at the nearby temple. I quickly got ready, and informed my family that I’d be attending the SHG meeting, and would be back late.
Walking towards the temple, I saw a few of my SHG friends already gathered. We exchanged greetings, caught up on some casual gossip, and asked about the purpose of the meeting.
As we settled in, I noticed a woman standing in front of us. Our SHG coordinator had just left, mentioning that she would be addressing us and that we would learn something important today from this lady, who had come from Bangalore.
The lady smiled and began, “Namaste! I hope you all had your lunch, and thank you for sacrificing your afternoon nap to be here. I truly appreciate you giving your valuable time for this session.”
“I’m from Bangalore, and today I’m here to talk to you about something important that affects us all, something we live with for about 30 to 40 years of our lives. I’m talking about menstruation.”
At that moment, I was taken aback. I couldn’t believe it—we were here to talk about periods. It’s something we’ve never discussed openly, at least not in this way. For a moment, I even looked around to see if any men were present, wondering if this conversation was too much for them.
The lady continued, “Now, tell me, what did your mothers tell you when you had your first period? Or, what did you tell your daughters when they experienced theirs for the first time?”
I began reflecting on my own experience. What did my mother say when I had my first period? Some of my friends exchanged glances and started laughing, wondering why this lady was asking such questions—after all, this is something everyone is supposed to know about. One of my friends responded, “When I got my first period, my mother told me not to touch anything. She said it was normal, that it happens every month.” Another friend added, “I told my daughter the same thing—it’s natural, every girl goes through it every month.”
The lady smiled again and said, “I was told the same by my mother, but no one ever explained why menstruation happens. And we continue to pass this on to our daughters without really explaining it.”
It struck me how we all experience menstruation for 30 to 40 years each month, yet we rarely talk about it openly or ask questions about it. The facilitator began explaining the science behind menstruation—why it happens, the changes our bodies go through, and how to manage menstrual hygiene. She also introduced various menstrual products, discussing their pros and cons, how to use them properly, and the importance of their correct disposal.
For me and my friends, it was a revelation. Talking about menstruation so openly was completely new, and I felt like I had learned something that was never shared with me by my mother or teachers. I now feel the need to talk to my daughter about this, to explain why menstruation is a natural and important part of life, and to encourage her not to feel ashamed of it.
Though I sacrificed my afternoon nap and postponed household chores, I gained invaluable knowledge. I’m grateful for this opportunity to learn something new and break the silence surrounding menstruation.
This awareness session on menstrual hygiene management is part of an effort by CDD India, supported by HSBC India, through their Climate Resilient Project in coastal Maharashtra.
#MenstrualHealth #BreakingTheSilence #ClimateResilience #WomenEmpowerment