Rescue Maasai Girls from Female Genital Mutilation

Dear supporters,

We are happy to share news about the work we are doing in Kenya and to be transparent about what this work requires. Your support has helped us protect girls from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriage while keeping them in school. Our outreach work is expanding to reach more girls in danger.

A strong vote of confidence from our donors

In 2025, with the help of our supporters, we strengthened our community outreach, ran anti-FGM workshops, and improved safe house access. These efforts allowed us to respond quickly when girls were in immediate danger, thus ensuring they could remain in school and live free from abuse.

Our donors’ support has made it possible to protect more girls, cover school fees, and provide safe places for them to live when their homes are unsafe. Without this support, our work would not have been possible.

Two more girls rescued

In December 2025, Global Roots conducted an outreach in Lolgorian, a remote community in the hills above the Maasai Mara. During this visit, we identified two girls at imminent risk of FGM and early marriage.

Naomi N., 16

Naomi is a high school student. She lost her father at age nine and has faced many hardships since then. Her aunt helped her complete primary school, but when Naomi was ready for high school, there was no money to continue her education.

Upon returning to her mother’s home, Naomi found a dangerous environment. Her mother, struggling to raise eleven children, had turned to alcohol. Naomi’s two older sisters had already been married off at ages 12 and 13. Soon, her mother openly discussed plans to have Naomi cut and married.

Naomi refused. She moved from house to house, borrowed essentials from classmates, and sometimes asked teachers for help to stay in school. She survived by hiding and relying on small acts of kindness from others.

Jessica N., 15

Jessica has just completed Grade 9 and wants to continue to senior school. She was born out of wedlock, and her stepfather does not accept her or support her education. After the death of her great-grandmother, who had protected her, Jessica was left alone.

Her uncles began planning to have her undergo FGM and marry her off. Jessica could not return to her stepfather’s home. Her mother’s sister agreed to take her in, but she could not afford school fees. Jessica is now at serious risk, and without support, her future is uncertain.

These girls’ lives are at risk every day. But with timely intervention, protection, and support, their futures can be changed.

Proof that protection works

There is strong evidence that our approach saves lives and keeps girls in school. Two girls previously supported through the FGM Zero Project, Sarah N. and Naomi K., completed high school in November 2025. Sarah earned a B+, and Naomi earned a C+, making them eligible for university programs starting in September 2026.

Four years ago, these same girls faced immediate danger. One escaped on the night she was supposed to be cut, running from her home to safety. Another was rescued just hours before her father planned to kidnap her. Threats were real, and danger was near.

But because there was a safe house, because there were funds for boarding schools, and because our staff acted quickly, these girls survived. Today, they are safe and dreaming about their future.

Why your support is critical

Our funding is limited. Safe houses, school fees, and emergency transport require ongoing support. Without donor funding, girls like Naomi and Jessica cannot be kept safe during holidays, when risk is highest.

While we can provide protection, girls also need support to meet basic needs. Food, clothing, and health care are critical. When girls are hungry, sick, or cold, learning becomes difficult. Protection alone cannot guarantee that a girl will stay in school if her home life is unsafe or unstable.

Your continued support ensures that girls in danger have a safe place to stay, can attend school, and receive the care they need. It allows us to maintain our safe house, pay school fees, and respond quickly when a girl is at risk.

Naomi and Jessica are alive, uncut, and still dreaming because support was there when they needed it most. There are many more girls like them. Your donation helps us reach them before it is too late.

Thank you

We are grateful for your continued partnership. Growth brings both promise and responsibility. Together, we can ensure that protection and education are not just possible, but real, lasting, and life-changing for girls at risk.

Thank you for standing with girls in Kenya at this critical moment.

With gratitude,

The Global Roots Team

Dear Supporters,

We are happy to share exciting news as we prepare for our largest outreach session yet this coming school holiday. This event builds on the incredible progress we have made in our mission to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and protect vulnerable girls.

Last year, your kindness made possible a powerful workshop that changed lives, including that of Lucy N., who found the courage to come forward and ask for help. Lucy’s story continues to inspire our team as we prepare to reach even more girls this season.

Upcoming Outreach in Lolgorian

This December, our team will hold a major outreach event in Lolgorian, Kenya, one of the areas most affected by FGM in southern Kenya. The holiday season is a critical time, as many girls are taken through this harmful practice while schools are closed.

Our outreach will bring together girls, parents, elders, and community leaders to talk openly about FGM, its dangers, and how we can work together to end it. The sessions will include open discussions, group learning, and safe activities designed to help girls build confidence and find support.

The outreach will also connect families to practical resources, including counseling, reporting channels, and education opportunities. Our goal is not only to protect girls during the cutting season but also to inspire families to embrace change.

This is the same kind of event that helped Lucy N. last year. At one of our workshops in December 2024, she quietly asked one of our facilitators for help, terrified that her family had arranged for her to undergo FGM. Thanks to your support, we were able to step in immediately and ensure her safety.

Mary K.’s Role

Behind each successful outreach is the dedication of our Outreach Manager, Mary K., who leads our field efforts. Mary works closely with schools, chiefs, elders, and women’s groups to make sure every girl knows there is a place to turn for help. Her patience and commitment have built strong community trust, a vital foundation for this kind of sensitive work.

In the lead-up to the Lolgorian outreach, Mary and her team will travel across villages to prepare for the event, meet with teachers, and arrange safe transport for girls. Mary ensures that everything is in place for what we expect will be our most impactful outreach yet.

Naomi and Sarah’s Finish High School This Year

We are also proud to share that two girls in our care, Naomi K. and Sarah N., will be finishing high school this year. Their journey is a reminder of what your support makes possible.

Both Naomi and Sarah joined our program as young teens, facing pressure to undergo FGM and early marriage. With your help, they received safety, education, and encouragement.

The Upcoming Long Holiday

Schools across Kenya started closing this week, and many others will close next week for the long holiday, the longest break of the school year. Unfortunately, this is also when the risk of FGM rises sharply.

Girls who are normally protected by school routines suddenly become more vulnerable. Families often plan ceremonies during this break, and the pressure to conform can be overwhelming for girls who want to continue their education.

That’s why our upcoming outreach couldn’t come at a better time. We are ready to reach as many girls as possible, provide immediate support where needed, and equip communities with the knowledge and tools to keep girls safe.

The Impact of Your Support

Your generosity continues to make this work possible. Every donation you give helps us organize workshops, transport girls to safety, and provide counseling and education.

Through your support, we are not just protecting girls in the moment, we are helping to shift mindsets, strengthen community awareness, and build a future where FGM has no place.

Because of you, Lucy found safety. Naomi and Sarah found opportunity. And soon, many more girls in Lolgorian will find hope.

As we prepare for the December outreach, our focus remains clear: to protect girls, educate communities, and nurture a future where every girl can grow, learn, and dream without fear.

Thank you for standing with us.

With gratitude,

The FGM Zero Team