By: Emily Lerosion

Each year Sahiyo hosts an annual Activists Retreat to gather anti-FGC activists in a safe and supportive space, where they can engage in meaningful discussions about FGC. These retreats aim to foster collaboration, share insights, and strengthen efforts to eliminate this harmful practice. The retreats include educational programs, self-care activities, and presentations from professionals engaged in anti-FGC advocacy initiatives in their communities. Below Emily Lerosion, who participated in the 2024 retreat, reflects on how the experience at the retreat has impacted her healing journey and advocacy work.

Why did you want to attend the retreat?

I wanted to attend the Activist Retreat because I believed this was a space where I could start my healing journey. It was not until I began my advocacy work that I realized I had a big problem speaking out about an act that is completely inhumane, and that robbed me of my confidence as a woman. In my life, I have been struggling with the  shame that is associated with female genital cutting. I come from a community that is patriarchal. Because of this, my work as a women’s rights activist has been really difficult as I couldn’t openly speak about the practice. I was very optimistic that the retreat would help me move forward in the journey I started years ago. I wanted to  interact with other survivors and learn how they have released the shame and gained acceptance of their being whole again. 

What have you learned or most enjoyed at the retreat?

I have learned that FGM/C shouldn’t pin me down or suppress my voice, but rather inspire me to speak up against the practice to ensure future generations do not experience the same thing. I have gained so much confidence in speaking out against the practice and sharing my experience. Sharing my story, I believe, is the best way to speak out so that I can add my voice to the fight against FGM/C. I have also gained a family from the beautiful souls that I met at the retreat, and everyone’s story made me realize how strong I am, and we are as women. This inspired and motivated me even further in my advocacy work. 

How and why are you involved in the movement to end FGC? 

I am involved with the movement to end FGM/C because I believe women are complete and very valuable without the cut. I believe FGM/C is a demeaning act and needs to be ended since it deprives women of their human rights in so many ways. I am advocating to end FGM/C directly in my community both in Washington and through the Network to end FGM/C, and in my homeland of Kenya. I do this through my organization The New Dawn Pacesetter, where I act as the director uplifting the voices of women and girls. I also will attend the Commission on the Status of Women to use my voice as an advocacy tool. 

How do you think this retreat will inform your work as an activist?  

I believe this retreat will inform my work as an activist because my story will be essential in advocating for the end of this practice. This retreat will also inform my work as an activist since it has given me more strength, power, and a network.

What work are you doing currently or hoping to do in the future?

I am having conversations with both my friends and survivors of FGM/C here in the States and internationally. I am also holding girls mentorship camps in  Kenya, mentoring girls about what their rights are and how to advocate for themselves. This is with the involvement of all community stakeholders, including parents in the practicing communities, religious leaders, schools, governments, girls at risk, and survivors just to mention a few.

By: Rachel Wine

This month, Sahiyo led two trainings to expand the impact of the findings of our Critical Intersections Research Project within the greater gender-based violence (GBV) sphere. While FGM/C is widely considered a form of GBV, research has indicated that anti-FGM/C work largely exists in a vacuum, and is not often incorporated into mainstream GBV work. To create change, Sahiyo created training that could introduce the importance of building collaborative relationships based on understanding the intersectionality of our siloed issues. 

Our first training, Critical Intersections: Anti-Racism and FGM/C, requested by ICASA, took place on January 14. Research findings indicated a need to better understand the racialization of FGM/C and associated discrimination to create stronger systems of care for individuals impacted by FGM/C within the U.S. To address these gaps, we uplifted findings that spoke to how FGM/C is impacted by race and racism in both its continuation in generation after generation and when it comes to advocates working to address FGM/C within the field. We also discussed recommendations from our research that can support organizations to adapt and incorporate anti-racist approaches when it comes to addressing FGM/C.

The second training, Addressing Intersectionality: Fostering Collaboration in FGM/C and GBV Work, requested by AshaKiran was held on January 16. The presentation focused on identifying how and in what ways FGM/C is showing up in the U.S. and how populations are impacted by it, and illustrated findings that spoke to the need to build capacity for collaboration on FGM/C work within various GBV organizations. The training also shared existing models where intersectional collaborations have proven successful when it comes to addressing the larger topic of what perpetuates gender-based violence (regardless of whether we are speaking about FGM/C, domestic violence, sexual assault, and so forth).  

If your organization is interested in hosting a Critical Intersections Technical Training, please email Sahiyo’s Research Coordinator rachel@sahiyo.org.

On January 13th, the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C hosted a legislative briefing at the Legislative Building in Hartford, CT. The briefing was held in partnership with Sahiyo, Equality Now, and the U.S. Network to End FGM/C. The briefing provided an opportunity to learn more about the topic of FGM/C and the need to pass a law protecting children from it.  

Speakers included: 

• Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz
• Mariya Taher
• Representative Jillian Gilchrest
• Siminesh Comollo

The speakers discussed the importance of increased awareness of FGM/C as an issue local to the state of Connecticut, and the need for a specific state law against FGM/C. 

The briefing was intentionally held at the start of Connecticut’s next legislative session in order to introduce and pass a comprehensive bill protecting children from FGM/C and to create resources to support survivors.  The Lieutenant Governor and Connecticut Representatives highlighted that pressure and advocacy by local, national, and international actors would help to make passing legislation possible.

(Mariya Taher, Sahiyo U.S. Executive Director, and Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz)

Last month, we hosted our first meeting for the Massachusetts Community Healthy and Healthy Aging project. The meeting, which took place at Birdhouse in Amesbury Massachusetts, marked the beginning of a collaboration between Sahiyo, The US End FGM/C Network, and UMass Chan Medical School, and was held to discuss project aims, goals, and timeline for the first year of project implementation. 

Through the funding provided by The Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging project, our team will work towards building a comprehensive network of stakeholders and service providers who can implement a coordinated, systems-based approach to addressing FGM/C over the course of five years. Our goal is to  improve health outcomes for survivors of FGM/C, with a special focus on survivors who are people of color. Additionally, we will work to prevent FGM/C among future generations by increasing resources to overcome obstacles we often face, such as lack of awareness among service providers regarding FGM/C. 

Along with our partner organizations we’re grateful to The Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds for their support of this critical issue.

To learn more about this project, please visit: https://mahealthfunds.org/

Lisa is currently a high school student at Colleyville Heritage High School in Dallas, Texas. At school, she participates in DECA business competitions, fundraises for the Asian Food and Culture Club, and likes physics and math. In her spare time, she enjoys figure skating, spending time with her family, and reading. Lisa hopes to make a positive impact on her community regardless of the career path she takes. She is excited to help make positive change for women all around the world through this opportunity with Sahiyo.

When and how did you first get involved with Sahiyo? 

When I first discovered the internship position, I was immediately drawn to Sahiyo's mission. At that time, I had never heard of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), but as I read more about it on Sahiyo's website, I became deeply troubled by this form of gender-based violence. I was especially shocked to learn that FGM/C affects girls of my age in the U.S. I felt compelled to contribute to the efforts to end this issue, and this internship provided the perfect opportunity to do so. 

At the time I applied for this position, I was still exploring potential career paths. I wasn't sure which direction to take yet, so this internship presented a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector while aligning my work with a cause I felt passionate about. I saw this role as a way to not only contribute to a mission I believe in, but also to explore the field of social justice and advocacy, which has become a growing interest of mine. 

What does your work with Sahiyo involve?

As a Fundraising & Auction intern, I assist in finding funding opportunities to support Sahiyo’s programs. One aspect of my work involves conducting research to find relevant grants for Sahiyo and drafting grant applications. Over the past couple of months, I’ve had the chance to develop my grant writing skills by working on smaller grants, and I am now gaining experience in completing more complex, larger-scale grants. Additionally, I actively solicit donations for Saiyo’s annual Silent Auction, curating compelling travel packages to attract contributions from generous donors. 

How has your involvement with Sahiyo impacted your life?

As someone with no personal connection to FGM/C, I initially questioned whether I had a place in this movement. Additionally, as a high school student, I felt under qualified to make real, impactful change alongside experienced adults. I was anxious my age and lack of knowledge of FGM/C would prevent me from being able to contribute meaningfully to a global cause.

However, I quickly discovered that the community working to end FGM/C is open-minded and welcoming to anyone who shares the common goal of addressing this critical issue. My peers on the Development team, seminar panelists, and other members of the community have consistently been responsive to my questions—whether about FGM/C, activism more broadly, or professional development. Their patience has shown me that, regardless of the fact that I’m a young person without extensive experience in a professional setting, the community will help you if you’re willing to learn about FGM/C and put in effort to end it.    

Regardless of the career path I ultimately pursue, the work environment I’ve experienced at Sahiyo has provided a valuable example of a compassionate yet results-driven workplace. Moreover, my enhanced understanding of gender-based injustice, both globally and domestically, has equipped me to prioritize inclusivity and cultural awareness in any field. I now feel confident that I can contribute meaningfully to social justice work, and this experience has reinforced my commitment to advocating for marginalized communities, no matter where my career takes me.  

What words of wisdom would you like to share with others who may be interested in supporting Sahiyo and the movement against FGC?

If you’re on the fence about volunteering, interning, or working with others in this movement to end FGM/C because of a lack of skills, personal connection, or any other reason, please know that everyone in the community is more than willing to teach, support, and collaborate with you. Whether you’re just beginning to learn about FGM/C or you’re already well-versed in the issue, your willingness to engage, ask questions, and put in the effort to make a difference is what truly matters. The most important step is taking that initial leap to get involved—and once you do, you’ll find a community that is eager to welcome you, teach you, and work alongside you to make a real impact.

By; Lubaina Plumber

Why did you want to attend the workshop and share your story?

So, to me it was a natural next step when I was given the opportunity to be part of the Voices Workshop. I've worked in gender based violence my whole life and as a survivor myself it’s important to share my story. I wanted to take my advocacy forward, and while I’ve been vocal about FGC in writing and in closed circles, never have I shared this story quite so publicly, in a video format. It was also a way to share my story with more people in a bite-sized way.

Another reason why I wanted to share my story and attend the workshop was because I wanted to meet more people who were doing the same type of work I was. I met a lot of people that I wouldn’t have, had I not attended the workshop. That was a huge driving force for me to attend.

What story did you choose to tell and turn into a digital story?

I chose to focus on the aspect of sexual pleasure and your relationship with your body and how FGC affects those things. When I was younger, the impact was immensely emotional and psychological, but during my journey as I learned more I realized how the practice impacts the way you feel not just emotionally but sexually, physically, and physiologically too.

I talked about having to accept that your body is different, and that you’ll never really know what and how it could’ve been if you weren’t cut. I was always told that FGM/C was done  to curb women’s pleasure. I learned from the Activists Retreat that you actually can go to a doctor in the United States and ask them to tell you what's different, how your body has changed, and that was a wild possibility to me. Women’s bodies and sexuality have been and are being controlled and repressed for centuries, and the fact that so many communities practice FGC to uphold that misogynistic ideology is gut wrenching and needs to stop! 

What have you learned or most enjoyed during what workshop by meeting others who also share their stories?

The thing I enjoyed the most was being able to be present in the same space with the other participants and be in-person with them. I really enjoyed the pre-sessions where we all got to meet each other and talk beforehand. I think that made me feel more comfortable –to be able to share my story in that space with people I had a common understanding with was really powerful. We all became close friends through the workshop, getting to work on our stories and videos together throughout the process, and then getting to watch them together at the end – I think that was the highlight for me, I felt like I didn’t have to work in isolation. 

A crucial part of advocacy is solidarity. I’ve always had allies in my close friends and some family but to have a whole group of people who truly understand your journey because they have a story too and are vulnerable enough to share it with you is just beyond powerful and heartwarming. You feel heard, safe, understood, and held. I feel immensely grateful to share space with those I met at the workshop.

What kind of impact would you like your story to have?

I’m interested in sharing my digital story with my wider circle. I usually don’t send people my articles and things like that, unless it’s to my parents or close friends. But this I want everyone to see, and I want to be loud about it.

I hope that once I show it to people it makes them want to be loud about FGC,  women's rights, and sexual pleasure too. I hope it inspires people to really think about their relationship with their own body and their sexual well-being. I also hope it inspires people to speak out against FGC.

Is there anything in your digital story that you would like to share? 

I want to highlight that as a child and a young survivor we deserve protection because we did not know better. And only now as  grown women we are using our voices to try and stop these terrible things from happening. So I want people to know that.

Lubaina Plumber is passionate about driving social change through  public policy and human rights law work. Outside of work, she loves spending time with interesting people, uncovering hidden gems while traveling, diving into gripping books and podcasts, and nurturing her garden.