End Female Genital Mutilation in 9 schools, Kenya

DEAR HFAW FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS AND PARTNERS ,

HFAW as an organization would like to extend our appreciation for the support you accorded to us in the month of April that enabled us achieve our objectives of transforming communities within Nyamira County to end FGM. HFAW managed to reach Nyambaria primary school with a population of 482 learners among which 238 were males 244 females. The team introduced their agenda of ending the FGM practice that leads to early teenage pregnancies among school going children. During the interaction it was noted that more learners had varied information and ideas on FGM and as a result, they could point our clearly the challenges faced by the survivors.

 However, both teachers and students took part in the discussion and our plan to sensitize them on why FGM should be abhorred bore more fruits. The response was overwhelming and much ground was covered and at the end we had more anti FGM ambassadors than we had anticipated. Additionally, 96% of the school population committed to further the anti FGM campaigns to the community and also in the places of worship. According to our assessment, the meeting was successful because we surpassed our targets beyond our imagination. Our success is attributed to the great reception from both the pupils and teachers and their understanding of our agenda and showing the willingness to join in the anti-FGM campaign. We are optimistic that with adequate financial support from you our partners, it’s a matter of time and FGM will be completely eliminated.

 HFAW staff encouraged the young girls to report to the police when being threatened to undergo the cut. Bwari, a pupil at Nyambari primary school reported to us that they were told when they undergo the cut, they become grownups and they took the statement serious because according to their understanding FGM is a rite of passage embedded in their culture. She was overcome by emotions when she recalled the events of that fateful day. “I couldn’t breathe because a piece of clothe was stuffed in my mouth, while five women pinned me on the ground as they mutilated me. My mother could not defend me because she was forced by the older women to surrender me to the perpetrators of the act,” she painfully narrated.  HFAW staff responded to Bwari by pointing out that FGM is illegal according to the law, it’s a violation of the rights of women and girls because of the many challenges that come with the cut. She further pointed out that there are alternative rites of passage that do not involve the cut and the kind information they are subjected to as this has proved to be the main cause of early teenage pregnancies. It was observed that the learners were enthusiastic and actively participated in the discussions and requested the team to go back for more sensitization sessions.

Because of your support to HFAW, we have been able to reach hard to reach neighborhoods and with more support from our friends and partners, we will be able to make FGM a thing of the past through transformed mindsets by our ambassadors and community health workers in Nyamira county. One girl saved from FGM is worthy the effort. Ones again, thank you very much.

Kind Regards,

 Maureen Asutsa , HFAW communication officer.

Dear Friend and Esteemed Partner,

Greetings and Happy New Year 2023!

We begin this year with hope and renewed enthusiasm. It is a pleasure for me to report that looking at just one year, we reached over 2 million radio listeners with anti-fgm messaging, 200 youths with additional 45 youth ambassadors, over 1000 online participants, and supported 24 women with over 5000 USD loans from our HFAW kitty to empower them escape GBV and even sanitized girls and women from jiggers. That is only but a few to mention in summary.  None of these could have been possible without your generous donations. Today, I take this time as Founder of HFAW to thank you so much individually and specially for every one of your contribution. THANK YOU! Thank you especially to all our recurring donors.  You could have chosen another way to use your money but you chose HFAW. Thank you.

I began HFAW out of a passion to end a heinous practice of which I survived among the Abagusii community.  There are no words to explain how critical it is to safe even just ONE child from a knife. This FGM practice is not just painful, it is devastating. As a woman, nothing can shut you up as FGM.  I am so proud of you, to have believed in my team(Jennifer, Joyce, Gladys, Teresia and myself )  with your donation. Because your money does save lives. We still have so many parents cutting their girls but we have also saved so many from the knife. That means so much to these girls and women and to me personally.

This year, we have recruited many campus students to do more grassroots work, read the 120 health promoter report for more details( . We won’t do much without your support. Please share with your friends and family to let them know why you care about HFAW and why they can consider making a donation. Meanwhile, review several of the heartwarming photos showing a little bit of the work you supported across the year.

Thank you and with gratitude

Grace B Mose-OKonng’o

Dear friend and partner,

Our August school outreach managed to reach pupils in two schools. One being Kiamogiti primary school which had a population of 207 students, (106) girls and (101) boys and the other Geteni primary schools with a population of 283 pupils, (133) boys and (150) girls. The two target schools are located in hard to reach areas of Nyamira County but with your support we managed to deliver the much needed information. Our main objective of conducting the school advocacy was to sensitize the students about child abuse, FGM and its effects and where to seek help in case of abuse. Our community health promoters are trained in dialogue and while at it with the pupils; each of the schools manifested a unique challenge.

At Kiamogiti primary school, FGM is so normal that at first the pupils could not understand why the practice must end. While at Geteni primary school, there was already a young mother and a pregnant pupil among the children. Our work is much needed and your support is not in vain. The two outreaches culminated with a local vernacular radio campaign at Egesa FM radio where the voices of two children and one community health worker were amplified to reach the larger community (over 1 million listeners).

The sessions

The session at Kiamogiti primary school started with posing a question to the children by Joyce, who is HFAW staff and a community health and human rights promoter.

“Do you think FGM must end in our community” asked Joyce

There were mixed answers of both “yes” and “no” from the pupils. One pupil raised his hand and said “I do not understand why FGM must end, it is OK, normal and must happen to every girl in my community” said Kevin

The facilitators took the opportunity to correct the erroneous norm of the practice as normal and by the end of the session the boy had changed mindset and even boldly talked against it on radio saying,

“Girls do not be lied to by men with kangumu (a type of donut) and 5 shillings then you get pregnant. If you come across any FGM act, kindly call 116. You can even borrow a phone from neighbor as the number is a toll-free.” said Kevin.

“FGM is a practice whose time has passed. Children, you should refuse if your parents want the cut on you since it affects girl’s lives” added Hope from Geteni primary school.

Our early pregnancy message this time landed on ears of a young mother and pregnant pupil among the children in Geteni primary school. Our outreaches are highly needed with information to prevent such cases.

We are grateful for your assistance in ending the practice of FGM and early pregnancies in our community. Please share our work with your family and friends and invite them to be part of the difference you and HFAW are making in our community.

Dear Friend and Partner,

The first time our anti-fgm advocacy at Nyamusi Primary School in Nyamira County came to a standstill. There were 327 students among them 162 males and 165 females. We got a warm welcome and we were about to begin our work, only to notice that many students had torn uniforms, looked desperate and literary miserable due to poverty. Over 10 students were jigger infested. Our advocacy program was difficult to deliver. We planned to be back with medicines and other equipment to counter jiggers. This ended up opening an easier anti-FGM advocacy process.

Second round arrival at the school we found that still students were in a bad state because, due to myths and misconceptions, they were stigmatized as cursed due to jiggers. Many people think that jiggers are a curse. They were glam in rags with no shoes and innerwear, barefooted, and extremely low self-esteem. We were also informed that girls are most vulnerable to FGM in the surrounding village.

With the help of a public health officer and health assistant from a local community clinic whom we invited we cleaned their legs, sanitized them, applied medicine and vaseline, and sanitized them. In total we sanitized ten students with jiggers, provided them with new shoes and uniforms, and their self-esteem greatly improved. After sanitizing, we taught them about effects of FGM, the root causes, the impact not only on the girl child but the whole community. The positive response was overwhelming. Both students and teachers committed to be antifgm and anti-jiggers ambassadors.

‘I want to work like you to end FGM and jiggers, said Beatrice, one of the students who got shoes and school uniform.

Teachers were grateful and committed to continue treating the students until the jiggers were completely eradicated out of the school.

"I will teach people about the effects of FGM so that they can abandon the culture." Alois Nyasumi primary. ‘I want people to know that jiggers are caused by unhygienic conditions, not a curse. He said.

The head teacher reiterated that ending FGM should begin with ending jiggers. That jiggers are widespread in the village which is the origin. The children who live with grandmothers are most affected. Even their grandmothers are affected by jiggers.

Friends, we are grateful for your ongoing donations. Because of you we had a chance to address one of the most disturbing issue, jiggers in modern times. Jiggers hurt children and their grandmothers. It is hard to close our eyes. It is even harder to campaign against FGM when members of the community are hurting. Please continue with your donations and share widely so that our work to counter jiggers and FGM can be possible. Please share with your family and friends and let them know why this is important.

Dear Friend

 Happy New! The Hope Foundation for the African team is grateful to connect with you. Your company in the journey to end female genital mutilation in Kenya. Here is to another year of ensuring safety and health for every girl.

In November 2021, just while students were nearly breaking for the Christmas holiday, we held a school advocacy activity at Nyariacho and Keboba primary school in Nyamira County. The advocacy activity was led by HFAW grassroots leaders; Joyce and Gladys.

The main objective of conducting the outreach in the 2 schools was to sensitize the students on the health effects of FGM and ensure that they understand what to do when they suspect or are at risk of undergoing the vice. Also, we trained on personal hygiene and how to become more self-aware and confident. Moreover, we sensitized the young girls on staying focused on their studies and avoiding the temptation of engaging in romantic relationships. Generally, school advocacy reached 485 students between 9-14 years.

Most villages in Nyamira and Kisii, Kenya, are notorious for secretly subjecting girls, within this age group to FGM. Part of the main reason FGM continuous in Nyamira is the secrecy. Thus, with this activity, we ensured the girls know that we support them and they should not be swayed into the practice. 

We are happy that we got to conduct this activity. The smiles and excitement of the students during the songs and dance session tell it all.

Links:

• Gladys leading the students in the song, 'today we will learn'