Protecting Girls from Genital Mutilation in Kenya

The above picture is that of Silantoi, age 14, currently in class 8 at Naitawang Riverside Academy. I would to draw to our attention on Silantoi six years ago when she first joined Tareto Maa, Silantoi by then was a feeble malnourished beautiful girl still with such a contagious smile though troubled from deep within, she was so scared of any stranger and could hardly express herself even in her native language.

Silantoi was literally enclosed in her little world which she best knew about and that is her mother Naanyu. We later learnt that Silantoi stayed home most of the time as her elder siblings went to school in order to help the mother in house chores being the first girl in the family of seven kids.

As young as she was Silantoi worked besides her mother every new day in fetching firewood, going to the posho-mill for the famous Kenyan “Ugali” flour, looking after cattle, collecting vegetables from neighbours’ farms, fetching water from the river and all other tasks as assigned by the mother and even neighbours being the only child nearby, before the rest returned from school.

Silantoi could attend the nearby schools once in a while but always sent home for lack of school fees, she spent most of her time out of school because the mother could not sustain them all in school after their father deserted them. Lack of books, lack of learning materials, lack of proper uniforms, inadequate balanced diet, no shoes, going without food, walking for long distances to school, scanty dressing in cold weather, being rained on, walking in the scorching sun, was the world that Silantoi related with. Moreover she could not find time to do her school work thus a true reflection to why she wasn’t doing well in her academics either.

Fortunately enough in the year 2013 through the interventions of Mrs. Gladys Kiranto, founder of Tareto Maa, Silantoi was lucky to get a sponsor who did come through, to rescue her of her plight. She therefore joined the Tareto Maa family spending much of her time with our other beneficiaries at the boarding section. Interestingly, with time the true character of Silantoi begun to unfold, the unspoken Silantoi, took part in sports, drama, infact she showed leadership qualities right in her early years with us. As much as they still help in water collection from the river for their own personal use and that of the school kitchen during dry seasons, at least Silantoi together with the rest of the kids have a conducive learning environment with constant interactive sessions with their boarding teachers.

Silantoi’s sponsor has played such a key role in hastening her courage and self-esteem as they facilitated the purchase of her personal effects i.e. school uniform, shoes, books, learning materials timely payment of her school fees, mattress, beddings and bed, not forgetting the frequent gifting and letters over the festive seasons for her and her entire family. We have observed steady, gradual improvement from Silantoi grade after grade. As Naitawang/Tareto Maa family we can firmly attest that education is such an equalizer and gives tremendous opportunities to all to explore.

To our sponsors and well -wishers, we are more than grateful for your dedication and selfless giving in supporting of Silantoi’s dream to become a nurse, though not there yet but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you so much!!!