Rescue Maasai Girls from Female Genital Mutilation

FGM survey provides hard data that shows FGM is still a major threat to young girls in Kenya

Last summer, Silvia (see photo "Silvia") a brave young woman who ran away from FGM when she was a little girl, returned to Narok as a proud college graduate to conduct a survey on FGM. Her goal was to generate data that would defne just how threatened young Maasai girls are by Female Genital Mutilation.

Silvia and her team canvassed several neigborhoods in and around Narok using a random sampling technique to delve into the problem. Only by accessing young girls through their schools was she able to get an honest answer.

In Silvia's words: "Most of the time, FGM is done secretly and it is only the parents of the young girls who know it is happening except for the lady who does the cutting because she is paid handsomely."

Silvia's report made it clear that FGM is still a major threat to young Maasai girls -- especially those who live in rural areas. As many as 1/3 of each target group had been subjected to FGM and over half of the girls expressed fear of being subjected to this harsh crime against women.

Siliva, whose college was paid for by Global Roots, is now in charge of a Global Roots initiative called "FGMzero."

Armed with her data, Silvia won funds from Global Roots to launch a major anti FGM outreach campaign at high schools across the Maasai Mara and Transmara region (see photo "anti FGM outreach"). The main goal of the outreach was to make young girls aware of the damaging long term health effects of FGM and the fact that it is against the law in Kenya and is globally considered a human rights crime.

One of the goals of FGMzero is to reestablish a national hotline that young girls can call when they sense their family is making preparations to subject them to FGM. Once contacted, an FGMzero crew is immediately sent to investigate. Most parents, when they learn that such a call has been made, will cancel their FGM plans in fear of jail time and hefty fines.

Nelly is healthy and back in school

A young girl who we rescued from FGM two years ago is back in school after a long bout with Malaria and Typhoid. Recently, Nelly received a care package that was funded by GlobalGiving donors that blew her mind. In the package was a new dress, new shoes and a full supply of school materials as well as $20 cash to spend at boarding school. See photo of Nelly.

"I can't believe I got so much stuff," Nelly told Mary K. another graduate of the Global Roots rescue program. Mary reports that Nelly is so happy to be able to dress like the "rich" girls at her boarding school and now she has the money she needs to join them for bubble tea. I've got over 200 shillings so I can go to the tea shop forty times. I can even stay there to do my homework after the other girls go home. It's like a dream for me. Maybe a normal dream to others but to me its a miracle dream."

Nelly lives with Mary K. in a Global Roots funded Safe House. See photo of Mary buying supplies for the safe house.

Thank you all for your support. We could not rescue these brave girls and fight FGM without you.