Here is an alarming statistic that caught up our eyes and moved our hearts as medical Missions Africa. “According to WHO statistics, globally over 200 million women have gone through the FGM. The act is primarily performed on girls aged between infancy and 15 years. It is internationally condemned as a gross rights abuse”.

It can have severely adverse effects on the physical, mental, and psycho-social well-being of those who undergo the practice. The practice itself often takes place in remote rural areas by untrained village midwives who use instruments such as knives, razors, or even broken glass. The  East Pokot ommunity is among the most afffected communities in Kenya by FGM.

In November 2019, we organized an anti-FGM campaign for school-going girls, we held a 3-day program to empower young girls to fight FGM and focus on education for a better future at Chemolingot primary school in Tiaty Sub-county of Baringo County. Over 100 girls were trained during the 3-day program on; dangers of FGM to the girls as well as mothers, personal development topics to inspire them to education, how to help other girls going through the same.

Natalia, (not her real name) an attentee of the seminar has an interesting story. She was 9 years old when her father decided to circumcise and marry her off.  “I was to become the third wife to a 60-year-old man. I heard of a story of a girl who died in our village in the previous circumcision season due to excessive bleeding. She was never buried, her body was thrown in the nearby forest and left to hyenas. This scared me to an extent of having nightmares for a long time 

 

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