By James Maina | Executive Director
Campaign to stop Female Genital Mutilation
As from November 2007, Ebony expanded the Uzima/Woyosu project to incorporate a campaign to stop FGM, or Female Genital Mutilation. Use of unhygienic surgery implements in this inhuman practice is responsible for continued HIV/AIDS infections among young girls in Kenyan Rural areas where Ebony Operates. FGM is the process in which the outsides of the female reproductive organs are surgically removed. The surgery can be performed in the girl’s home, in a surgical center, or even near a designated tree. In most cases the mutilation is done by elderly women as part of initiation rites and is treated as “festivals”! Nevertheless, it is an inhuman, degrading experience. The rudimentary tools used to practice FGM along with the absence of medication to heal the wounds have caused the death of many and increased HIV/AIDS infections.
Involving Students
Ebony has teamed up with The Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) of Kennesaw State University (Atlanta USA) in conjunction with Moi University of Eldoret, Kenya, in developing an innovative intervention to reduce the practice of Female Genitalia Mutilation (FGM) in traditional communities in rural Eldoret region of Kenya.
Through the initiative, we will assist in starting a "self-dependent" passion fruit project and other income generating activities for the elderly women “surgeon” who carry out this inhuman “surgery’ as a means of earning a living. The focus is to reduce the practitioners and the unfortunate women that suffer the process of FGM.
The initiative will provide training and impartation of life skills to the women and the girls to maintain the passage rites from Girlhood to adulthood. By this effort we hope to see a reduction in the FGM practice and reduction in HIV/AIDS Infections among young girls and aim at changing many lives for the better within the target rural Eldoret region of Kenya.
Vision
To see girls and women free from violations of their human rights through harmful cultural practices subjected by society; restoration of human dignity and advancement of girls and empowerment of women.
Mission
Facilitate the adoption and implementation of Tumndo Ne Leel curriculum for initiation of girls and impartation of life skills to women and girls.
Goal
To eradicate female genital mutilation for the advancement of girls and empowerment of women in the communities that practice FGM.
How can you help?
FGM is fundamental human rights violation affecting millions of girls every year.You can help by giving donations to the project through GlobalGiving & informing others about FGM.You can also partner with the Kennesaw State University SIFE Team to help women affected by FGM and allow them to learn profitable skills.
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