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Sex Education for primary schools
• Know your rights• Stay in school• Say No to sex
Vol 14 No 2 Feb 2011
MENSTRUATION
 P u p i l s  o f  K  i s w a  P S,  K  a m p a l a  s a y s :  “ M e n s t r u a t i i o n  i s  a  s i g n  o f  g r o w i n g  u p.  B u t  i t  i s  n o t  a  s i g n  t o  s t a r t  s e x. ” 
Keneth Mubiru,14, GayazaCoU PS, Wakiso says:“Menstruation is not amistake. It is natural. Boys,do not laugh at girls.”
P
upils of Kayunga, Mukono,Wakiso and Kampala, whotalked to us said they weresurprised, shocked, worriedand scared on seeing the firstmenstrual blood.
How is HIV transmitted? Ayo Paska, 13, P5,Masindi Public School. 
HIV is a virus that causes AIDS.
It lives mainly in body uids likeblood, semen and vaginal uids. If 
you get in contact with these body
uids, you can get HIV. This canhappen: • Through unprotected sexwith a person who has HIV. • If a
mother has HIV, her baby can getHIV during pregnancy, child birth or
breaseeding. • Through sharingsharp objects like razor blades,
needles and
injecons.
Dr SabrinaKitaka,PaediatricInfectiousDiseasesClinic,MulagoHospital
 H I V  B a s ic
Girls,  you ma y no t kno w  when  your mens trual period  will s tar t. I t can happen an y time an y where.  A l wa ys be prepared.  Where ver  you go, carr y a pad in  your bag.  When i t happens, don’ t keep i t a secre t.  Talk  to a  trus ted adul t like  your mo ther, sis ter or a senior  woman  teacher. 
Have you started yet? 
Nakate Rahamah, 13, P6,Khadijja Islamic PS, Luweero,says
:”On my way home I got aheadache. When I reached home,I took panadol and went to bath.I saw blood in my private parts.I was shocked! When I told mymother, she told me what washappening. She gave me pads andshowed me how to use them.”
M
enstruation iswhen a girl’sbody releases bloodfrom her wombthrough the vagina.This is not a disease.It is a normal andnatural part ofgrowing up. 
Menstruation happensto every woman and girl.
How did you feel the first time? 
Na tasha U wamahoro, 12, P6, Uni versi t y Hills PS, Mukono 
“M y  firs t period s tar ted a t 12  years. I  was in  to wn  wi th m y mo ther. Suddenl y I go t s tomach pain. I  wen t  to  the  toile ts  think ing I  was going  to  vomi t.  When I sa t on  the  toile t, I sa w blood on m y k nick ers! Al though I k ne w  wha t a period  was, i t didn’ t connec t in m y brain,  wha t  was happening.  When  we reached home, I go t one o f her pads  tha t  were k ep t in  the ba throom. I read  the ins truc tions and used i t. I spen t  the res t o f  the da y sleeping. I  fel t sick .” 
F ai t h B u s i ng y e , 13, P 5 , f r o m K i s w a P S , K amp al a
 s t ar t e d  he r  f i r s t  p e r i od  s oon af t e r  he r  12 y e ar  ol d  s i s t e r . “ W he n I s aw  bl ood  on my  k ni c k e r s , I w as  s ur p r i s e d  and  k e p t  i t  s e c r e t . I w as  w or r i e d . B ut  l at e r  I t ol d  my  gr and mot he r .” 
 
N a i g a g a  D o r e e n , 15 , P 7 , W a k i t a k a  P S , J i n  j a , s a y s :  
” O ne  t i me  w he n I  s t o o d  up  a f r i e nd  s ho w e d  me  b l o o d  t hat  had  s p r e ad  al l  o v e r  my  y e l l o w  d r e s s . I  r an t o  t he  b at hr o o m t o  w as h i t  o f f . S ad l y  t he  d r e s s  go t  d i r t y . I  t i e d  a c l o t he  ar o und  my  w ai s t  and  r an b ac k  ho me . I  us e d  o ne  o f  my  o l d e r  s i s t e r s ’  p ad s .” 
The blood flows slowlyand continues throughthe day and night for4-7 days.Girls start gettingmenstrual periodbetween the ages of10 to 15. Some startearlier or later. Every onehas their own time ofstarting.
 
2 .Young Talk, February 2011
“If I saw blood on a girl’s dress Iwould
 tell her quietly
to go andsee a senior woman teacher.”
DMuwanguzi, 15, P6, GayazaCoU PS, Wakiso
“If a girl stained her dress I would
 give her a sweater tocover up
.I would then tell anyteacher to help her.”
TwesigyeGerald, 13, Railways PS,Kampala,
I would tell her to go to thebathroom and clean up. Girls,don’t leave used pads anywhere.”
Sserugo Davis, 12, P6,University Hills PS, Mukono
“Girls, having period is not adisease, mistake or a problem. You are growing into an adult.” 
Lochebe Angello, 13, P6, StPeters PS Nsambya, Kampala
How menstruation happens
M
enstruation is a major stage of puberty in girls. 
Like other body changes,menstruation can be confusing. Some girls wait eagerly to start their periods, othersmay feel afraid and anxious.
Make local pads using
clean piece of cotton cloth, threads, sewing needle, polythenesheet (Kaveera) and pair of scissors or a new razor blade.
 Abalo Josephine, program managerof Mvule Trust Kampala, teaches you how to make pads.
Make your own pads
Boys,
 support girls
124
Pupils of Gayaza CoU PS, Wakiso: A sweatercan be useful if your cloth gets stained.
Cut the cloth andpolythene intosmall pieces tothe size of ahandkerchiefFold the cottoncloth into across shape,to make wingsat the oppositesides.Put a polythene sheetinside the two cottonfolded clothes to stopleakage of blood.
•
After using the pad, open theenvelop-like space. Remove thecotton clothes. Wash and drythe clothes in sunshine
•
Iron the cloths and fix them asbefore for future use.
Shamimu  Vumiria, 13, P5, Ga yaza CoU PS,  Wakiso, sa ys: “
Her  firs t period s tar ted a t 11  years. “I  was in bed because I  wasn’ t  feeling  well. I  though t I  would ge t m y period earl y, since I had gro wn hair around m y pri va te par ts.  When I  wen t  to  the  toile t, I sa w some blood. Since i t  wasn’ t hea v y, I  jus t pu t  toile t paper on m y k nick -ers.  When I check ed i t la ter i t  was soak ed  wi th blood.  Thank  full y, m y aun tie carries some pads. I go t one  from her bag and used i t. E ver y thing  was  fine. Nobod y k ne w I had m y  firs t period.”
Correc t. No one can look a t  you and kno w  your are in  your periods.  A l wa ys be prepared.
E ver y thing  was fne. 
Nobod y k ne w I had m y 
frs t period
Dr Alex Kakoraki fromMurchison Bay HospitalKampala explains howmenstruations happens:
• There are two ovaries.
Each ovary has thousandsof small eggs. You cannotsee them.
• When the body is ready,
one egg leaves one of theovaries every month andmoves down the fallopiantube to the womb.
• While the egg is moving
down, the womb startspreparing a “nest”
H
ow can I help a sisterwho has reachedmenstruation stage? Gatuya Albert, University Hills PS,Mukono. Boys, do you alsowonder how bestto help a girlfor example, ifyou saw bloodon her dress?Help her. Tellher politely andprivately.
 “
Don’t laugh
at girls. Theydon’t ask formenstruation.It happensnaturally.”
Ocama Moses13, P6, KiswaPS, Kampala
Make a simpleString by sewingthread on eachwing. The stringswill hold the padOn the knickersfirmly.
 
 3
Sew the folded clothesleaving an envelopelike space for puttingand removing thecotton clothes andpolythene.
5
where the baby issupposed to grow from.If the egg is fertilised bya sperm, it is protectedand fed to grow into ababy.
• If the egg is not
fertilised, the bodydestroys the “nest” andeverything is pushedout through the vagina.This is what is calledmenstruation.
• About two weeks later,
another egg leaves theovary and the wholeprocess starts again.
 
3 Young Talk, February 2011.
O
nce a girl startsgetting her periods, itcomes once a month.But some girls may misstheir periods for one or twomonths. This is alright. Thehormones in the body arenot balanced yet. If you arenot having sex, don’t worryabout missed period.
For girls who are having sex, amissed period may be a sign ofpregnancy.Girls and boys, say NO to sex untilyou are over 18 years, after yourstudies and you can look after afamily.
 During periods
• Change pads at least 3 times a
day.
• Throw used pads in the bin,
pit latrine or burn them. Don’t
throw pads in flush toilet. This
can block pipes.
• Use cold
water towash offblood fromyour knickers.Hot watermakes theblood stay.
• Dry your
Kabuga Joyce, SeniorWoman teacher, GayazaCoU PS, Wakisoadvises:
Teachers, help
girls to manage theirperiods so that they don’tmiss classes.
• Encourage boys to
support girls instead ofteasing and laughing atthem.
For teachers
Down
1. A period when a girl’s body releases blood through the vagina,(12).3. This substance is the menstrual fluid (5).6. It is also known as the uterus (4)7. The beginning of the first menstrual cycle in a girl’s life, (8).8. Where the menstrual blood passes from a girl’s body, (6).10. The reproductive egg of a girl or woman (5).11. A piece of cloth made specially to absorb menstrual blood (4)(Plural).
 Across
2. Where the baby develops when inside a woman (6)4. Male reproductive cell that fertilises the ovary to make a baby(5).5. The releasing of an egg from ovary ((9).9. When a woman stops menstruating permanently because of herage (9)12. The time from the end of one menstruation period to the nextone (5).13. The pains a girl feels during menstruation period (6) (plural).14. Physical changes when a child’s body develops into adulthood(7).
This puzzle is to test your knowledge on menstruation. Fill inthe right answers and post it to:
 
 YOUNG TALK PO Box,22366, Kampala. Best answers will win YoungTalk exercise books. 
Fill in your: Name:….................................,Class,..........Age........,School,..............................................................PO BOX……………District…......................…........
 B e i n g  i n  y o u r  p e r i o d s  s h o u l d  n o t  s t o p  y o u  f r o m  g o i n g  t o  s c h o o l,  p la y i n g  o r  d o i n g  s p o r t s.
• Give children the correct
information about periods.
• Talk to parents about
preparing and supportingtheir girls with theirperiods.
• Give girls skills on how to
make local pads.
• Provide pads to girls who
cannot afford them.
 WORD PUZZLE No. 1, 2011
Don’t worry, be happy
 Dealing with painfulperiods
My first period were very painful.My grandmother said the painwas normal, but aunt said it isnot always painful. She told meto see a doctor. When I talkedto the doctor, he said it wasnormal.
Nakazzi Shakira,13, P6, University Hills PS,Mukono
Dear Shakira, some girls get
painful periods. This happens
when the muscles of the uteruscontract to push out bloodthrough the vagina. You mayfeel uncomfortable but the painsgoes as you grow up. Dr Alex Kakorachi, Marchsion BayHospital, Kampala, advises to:
•
Take a warm bath
•
Excise
 
regularly
•
Drink a lot of juice
If all these things fail,ask a health worker foradvise.
Talk to a health worker, if:
•
 Your period lasts longer than aweek. A period usually lasts 4-7days.
• Pad gets filled with blood
easily and you have to changefor example after every 1 hour
• You spend 3 months without
experiencing your period.
• You feel terrible pain before
or during your period
knickers well. Wearing knick-ers that are not well dried, cancause itchiness in the privateparts.
Nalwoga Suzan, acounsellor
of 00

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