I was twelve years old when it happened.
One moment I was sitting in class. The next, I noticed a stain on my uniform.
My heart raced. I thought I was injured. I thought something was terribly wrong.
Nobody had prepared me. Nobody had explained what menstruation was. Nobody had told me what to expect.
I spent the rest of the day feeling frightened and embarrassed.
When I finally got home, my mother sat me down and explained what was happening.
I felt relieved. But I also wondered why nobody had spoken to me sooner.
Menstruation is a natural part of life.
Yet for many girls, the first experience is accompanied by fear, confusion, and shame.
Education changes everything.
When girls understand their bodies, they approach puberty with confidence rather than fear.
Every girl deserves accurate information. Every girl deserves preparation.
And every girl deserves to know that her changing body is not something to fear.
It is something to understand and embrace.