How it's hidden that we're turning into big girls.

I was 9 years old when I first saw a PAD, wonder why at early age?... we do know the normal age range is between 13-15 years .

I was raised by a father after my mother passed away when I was only 2 years old. It was a challenge for him to raise me and even more difficult as I was a girl because some challenges we face as girls they don't consider them in deep. It was a difficult position for him.

Why 9 years?... there was a day I was riding a bicycle and I fell off, I was bleeding to the extent that I wet my clothes. A woman who was our neighbour saw me, as I reached home she did pay us a visit... I was called by my father then she explained that I might have experienced my first period... it was a shock for me ' what is that?... what's is she talking about? ' unfortunately she did not explain further after I told her it was my thigh that was bleeding, she left that pad with me I just kept it without knowing what I could do with it.

At 11 years old, my girlfriends at school had all experienced their period only me was left out of the group. I started analysing myself as I'm a real woman?... so as we were taught at school how to handle the situation, I saw it as not applicable to me since I'm not experiencing that. What was even worse seeing even 8 years old girl already in her womanhood, I was disappointed with myself 🥲

When I reached 15 years old, was ready to join my secondary school, I said to myself may be I have traits of a man but physically I'm a woman... a day before starting officially with my secondary school I was sitting in the kitchen, cooking then felt something in my underwear like I'm peeing on myself while I have no urge to urinate. I was with my siblings, I stood up quietly and went to the washroom. I just cried with what I saw😊 finally what I awaited for a long time " it's my period 🤪 " I thanked God and went rapidly to my sister, I told her about and she was really happy and taught me how to use cleaned cloth to cover myself. My father never knew about this and I was scared to include it in my list of basic needs so as to be able to get a real Sanitary Pad. But, with the experience I became more confident in myself and wanted to explore more what a woman is really like and the other challenges she faces with biological changes in her body.

When i joined my high-school, there was this holiday we were sitting at a dining table with my father while watching this "Ladies' show" they were explaining the benefits of using properly a Sanitary pad and the benefits of doing so. I never new my father would pick that, when it was near opening my school as usual my father is the one doing all the shopping for us while we accompany him. We reached the shop where he suddenly asked " do you also see this, what's called...a Sanitary pad? all outloud and all people heard about it and this was at my 21 years of age 😂😂..." they were shocked, I was too...like what? after you heard it, so he never knew when was my first experience. Since then, he started learning the basic needs for a girl and provides extra cash for Sanitary pads.

We do have different experiences when one enters her month, others they experience painful muscle cramps, others heavy menstrual period, prolonged period of more than 7 days of which this has to be addressed accordingly at school, work place etc... It's due to the fact that many girls or women are taken as lazy, not serious when it comes to those moments like ' why Asha is like this, can't you be more like her?' Well no ...it's biologically uncontrolled and differs from one woman to the other, some of my fellow students got suspended from school due to skipping class each month, some got pregnant from lacking the basic needs during the period due to poverty but also I lost a friend as she was experiencing heavy menstruation to a point of being transfused each month.

I know it's nature, we're born to experience it in one way or the other, don't give up on yourself, care for yourself and other girls out there, educate and create awareness for them, cherish each step ,exercise to reduce the burden of cramps, embrace the womanhood.