Rescue Maasai Girls from Female Genital Mutilation

Kenya has general elections this upcoming August. The democratic process is still a work in progress in Kenya and as such, many people expect that the elections will disrupt normal business and day to day economic activities. In light of this, much like with a coming storm, people have begun to stockpile "resources". In anticipation of the disruption, many schools are demaning payments, which they feare they may not receive regularly during the election process disruption. 

Over the past several weeks, our Kenya Director, Anthony Kigondu, has begun to receive increasingly insistent demands for payment of various school fees for our Maasai girls in their schools. Despite our reminders that the children under our care are special humanitarian cases, several schools are remaining firm. We will need at least $3700 by mid June in order to keep our girls in these school throughout the election disruption. 

Please consider urgently helping us to meet this deadline and keep the schools happy! As long as we keep our girls in schools, we have a better shot of keeping them safe! We currently have 45 girls in primary and secondary school, as well as three girls in college. 

Keeping our girls in school has led to one resounding success story in particular. One of the Global Roots girls is a young woman named "S". Global Roots helped "S" stay in school and avoid FGM. She writes here story here: 

"I am a nineteen-year-old female from Oloiborsoito village of Kilgoris central ward in Narok County. My main town is Kilgoris town. I am the third born to my peasant parents namely {names removed}. I have four siblings in total.

I attended Christ The King Academy Catholic Primary School in Kilgoris town and did well in my final exams. I thereafter proceeded to Itigo Girls Secondary School Where I cleared my High School education and did well in the final exams and qualified to join university after attaining a grade of B- of 58 points. While in High school I was being sponsored by Naserian Girls Rescue Initiative and Global Roots because my parents were unable to fund for my school fees. If I had not been able to get sponsorship for high school, my relatives would have persuaded my parents to make me undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) followed by early marriage. Going to high school saved me from this fate.

During my primary and secondary education, I was elected as a student leader and was therefore awarded certificates for excellent student leadership and punctuality.

My hobbies include playing badminton, reading daily newspapers, reading novels and beadwork art.

Thanks to Global Roots I am currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in Information Science at the Maasai Mara University in Narok Town, Narok County.  I am positive that this degree will help me achieve my passion for information analysis and the gathering of information. This qualification will enable me to also attain my dream of rescuing girls who are at a risk of undergoing the harsh Maasai cultural tradition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriage. I will work to ensure that as many Maasai girls have a positive and bright future away from the negative culture of our community.

It is a great privilege that I get, staying in school and not lacking anything. It is from this support that I have got to learn a whole lot of life lessons; lessons that are very essential in life. I have gotten a chance of learning virtues like kindness, giving back through social interaction, team building in both curriculum and extra curricular activities at college. I have also learnt to be responsible over my time and activities.

I sincerely thank all the well-wishers that continue to support me to enable me to attain my dreams.

Yours sincerely

S"

Your ongoing support allows Global Roots to continue aiding girls like "S" and so many others! Please help us continue to protect girls from FGM and give them a chance at a positive and rewarding future! 

Sincerely,

The Global Roots Team

Links:

• Global Roots Main Site