“I did not understand why I bled.”

I started my period at age 12. I do not know why but I cried a lot. I was scared. My mother had always told me that the day will come when I bleed and that it’s called a period. I did not understand why I bled. I really hated the pain, but I just learned to fight through it. Now that I'm older I can google stuff that helps me with my period or even visit a doctor if I feel something is wrong. I'm grateful to live in an era where information is at our fingertips. I really suffer so much from period pain and it's not so easy to start up a conversation about periods in the workplace or in public.

Chipo, 24

Zimbabwe