Send girls in Kenya at risk to FGM to school

Koota Injena — which translates to “Come let us talk” in the Borana language — is a program that uses community dialogues to end Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and Child, Early and Forced Marriages (CEFM) in 40 communities in Samburu and Marsabit counties in Kenya.

Through Koota Injena, we identify “champions” (male or female from any age group) in the community who are willing to stand up against FGM/C and CEFM and provide them with training to help their peers, family, and friends re-envision how women and girls are treated, why their rights should be respected, and why they should finish their education. One of the innovative approaches of Koota Injena is to directly engage elders and to educate them on the negative effects FGM/C and CEFM have on their communities and ensure that the abandonment of these practices is upheld.

To further support the girls in these communities, with your contributions, we established a scholarship program to send at-risk girls and survivors of FGM/C and CEFM to secondary boarding schools and train them to become anti-FGM and anti-child marriage ambassadors. The scholarship provides each girl with:

• Annual school fees, including room and board.
• Materials such as textbooks, uniforms, bedding, and a mattress.
• One “Dignity Kit” that contains sanitary pads, underwear, soap, a toothbrush, and other hygienic items.

Through the scholarship, the girls also received mentorship and training on life skills (problem solving, critical thinking, effective communication, decision-making, creative thinking, interpersonal relationship skills, self-awareness building skills, empathy, and coping with stress and emotions); reproductive health education; and public speaking to help them advocate to their families and peers to abandon FGM/C and CEFM.

Through the essential support of donors like you, in just three years, Koota Injena successfully achieved significant cultural shifts towards abandoning practices like FGM/C and CEFM and improving perceptions of the value of the girl.

Our greatest achievements were:

• We rescued 119 girls from FGM/C and CEFM and linked them to child protection services.
• There were two public declarations from 456 top clan elders denouncing FGM/C among Samburu and Borana communities.
• Amref granted scholarships to 140 students to stay in school and gave them materials like uniforms, books, and sanitary pads.
• Approximately 95% of in-school youth and 91% of out-of-school youth reported having more knowledge about the risks and consequences of FGM/C and CEFM.

On March 5, 2021, the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the landmark Kisima Declaration where the top clan elders of the Samburu Community publicly declared to abandon FGM/C and CEFM. Over 200 elders witnessed the event which was attended by other influential members of the Samburu community, including elders, youth leaders, and community champions who advocated against FGM/C and CEFM. This marked a huge triumph for Koota Injena, and gives the program a strong foundation for improving the future of girls education.

Links:

• http://www.amrefusa.org
• https://amrefusa.org/news/samburu-elders-publicly-declare-to-no-longer-practice-fgm/