Volunteer spotlight: Umme Kulsoom Arif
Umme Kulsoom Arif is a lawyer, activist, and sometimes writer from Missouri. They received their Bachelor of Science in Justice Systems from Truman State University and their Juris Doctor from Penn State Law in University Park. Despite having been born and raised as a part of the Dawoodi Bohra community, they did not become familiar […]
The urgency of climate change: Reflecting on my conversation with activist Domtila Chesang
by Urvashi Sharma On a foggy day in October, I had the pleasure of speaking with Domtila Chesang, an inspired activist against female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Kenya, and more recently a panellist on The Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C’s Climate Change and FGC webinar, to learn about her work and gain a […]
Reflecting on Sahiyo’s Healing as Activism Campaign
This past month, Sahiyo hosted a social media campaign, ‘Healing as Activism’, to honor the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender Based Violence. From November 25th to December 10th, we shared the stories of FGC survivors in their journey towards healing. We received 16 submissions from survivors located around the world, and they shared […]
Sahiyo releases July 2021-June 2022 Annual Report
We’re excited to release our July 2021 to June 2022 Annual Report and hope you’ll take the time to learn more about how we’ve been working to end female genital cutting (FGC). Over the past year at Sahiyo, we expanded our programs with the support of our staff, interns, volunteers, and Advisory Board. Our survivor-story-centered blog has grown and […]
Healing as Activism: Finding my way out of the darkness
By Anonymous It has only been a little over 2 weeks since I learned what female genital mutilation (FGM) was. It has only been a little over 2 weeks since I learned that I’ve been through FGM. I am 24 years old, involved in a community that practices FGM, yet is so secretive about its […]
Dear Maasi addresses pain and pleasure
Dear Maasi is a column about everything you wanted to know about sex and relationships but were afraid to ask! It’s a partnership between Sahiyo and WeSpeakOut, and is for all of us who have questions about khatna (FGM/C) and how it impacts our bodies, minds, sexualities and relationships. We welcome you to submit your […]
Why sex educators need to know about female genital cutting (FGC)
By Hunter Kessous From sophomore through senior year, I was a member of the Student Sexuality Information Service (SSIS), a completely student-run organization of sex educators. SSIS offers an array of sexual health and wellness products, confidential peer support, and educational events ranging in topics from healthy relationships and gender to sexuality and kink. SSIS’s […]
Healing as Activism: One cannot give from an empty cup
By Anonymous Emotional burnout looms over my head like my very own Sword of Damocles, waiting to strike me down for being woefully human. But the above saying travels with me, like my shield against self-doubt, offering ownership of my humanity, acceptance, and assurance that it is okay to be tired, okay to rest. The […]
Sahiyo hosts workshop on FGC and storytelling for Nomad Travelers
For nearly the whole month of November, Sahiyo’s co-founder and U.S. Executive Director Mariya Taher was in Panama with the Noma Collective, a community of remote working professionals. On November 10th, she hosted a workshop for the community to help raise awareness on the topic of female genital cutting (FGC), which many individuals were unaware […]
My first encounter of female genital cutting
Trigger warning: Below is one person’s account of her experience with female genital mutilation in India. This story may be disturbing and/or triggering for some. We thank her for being brave and sharing her story with us. By Anonymous “Sit here..here on this steel plate. [Takes out a pair of sharp scissors]. Shh! Just […]