The room felt quiet when menstruation was first mentioned.
Eighty-six girls sat inside a small classroom with metal walls and long wooden benches at A. Thimmareddy Government High Primary School, Bengaluru. Many avoided eye contact. A few smiled nervously. Some looked at their friends and giggled softly, unsure of how to respond. It reflected how rarely such conversations are held openly.
When the Silence Slowly Began to Fade
As they Break the Silence session under Goonj’s Not Just a Piece of Cloth (NJPC) initiative moved forward, a few girls slowly raised their hands. Questions came in hesitant voices:
“Why does the cycle sometimes come late?”
“Is severe stomach pain normal?”
“How often should sanitary pads be changed?”
“Can we continue playing sports or attending school during those days?”
“Is it okay to enter the kitchen or take part in prayers during menstruation?”
One question encouraged another. More hands went up. The girls leaned forward, listened closely, and began participating more openly. Many of these were basic questions they had been carrying quietly, often without a space where they felt comfortable asking them. For several girls, this may have been the first time someone explained these things openly and patiently.
When Being Heard Changed Everything
The session became a reminder that access to menstrual health information is not only about awareness material or distribution support, but also about creating spaces where questions can be discussed openly and practically. As the conversation grew, it moved beyond health and hygiene into restrictions, daily routines, and social beliefs surrounding menstruation — reflecting how deeply these ideas continue to shape young girls’ experiences. A classroom that began in silence slowly turned into a space for conversation.
A moment holding both curiosity and growing awareness in the same frame
About Goonj
Material shared by urban citizens and organisations is at the heart of these rural development stories. What lies idle in urban homes and organisations helps address material poverty — the lack of basic things needed for daily life. Goonj repositions cities’ unused material as a resource that supports community-led action with dignity, where participation becomes central to development.
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