Farrah Dalal Reflects on the 2026 Activist Retreat
By: Farrah Dalal I chose to participate in the Sahiyo Activists Retreat because I feel as a survivor and activist it is important to maintain connection to the networks of people doing the difficult work of affecting change in our community and around the world. There has been so much progress since my youth, and […]
Reflecting on my first Activists’ Retreat: Gender and FGC
By: Anonymous Prior to attending my first Activists’ Retreat this past February, I could tell you that being a survivor of female genital cutting (FGC) means something different to each person it’s been done to, but I think it would’ve lacked a certain authority and understanding. What stuck with me the most from this retreat […]
Sahiyo’s 10th Annual Activists Retreat
From February 13–15, 2026, Sahiyo hosted its 10th annual Activists Retreat, bringing together seven participants for a weekend of learning, reflection, and strategic planning to address female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). The retreat created a safe and private space for activists interested in ending FGM/C to connect with one another, deepen their understanding of the issue, […]
Join Us for Sahiyo’s 12th Activists Retreat in February 2026
Sahiyo will host its 12th Activists Retreat virtually from February 13-15, 2026. Open exclusively to members of the South Asian Bohra community, this retreat provides a safe, inclusive space for advocates and community members to share stories, build solidarity, and explore practical strategies to address FGC. Through dialogue, reflection, and collective action planning, participants will […]
“The Weight of Silence” – What an Indian Dawoodi Bohra Discovered at an American FGM/C Retreat
By: Anonymous Twelve women of all ages sat patiently around neatly stacked piles of fuzzy, colorful craft sticks—black, brown, white, some even blood-red- but as the Sahiyo retreat progressed, the craft table appeared increasingly disorganized. I assume it was because of the intimate and uncomfortable conversations we were having. Most of the participants, including me, […]
Why I Came Back
By: Nur Bookwala Both sides of my family are Bohri. My Dad was raised Baha’i in a joint family with a Bohri matriarch – his grandmother. My mother was raised in a nuclear Bohri family in Bandra. My mom would convert to the Baha’i Faith in her late 20s when she moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. […]
10 Years of Sahiyo: Spotlighting Activists Retreat Alumni Zehra Patwa
In December 2025, Sahiyo will celebrate its 10th anniversary, and we’re hosting a campaign to mark the occasion! Starting in July and running through December, we will be highlighting each of our programs, reflecting on our accomplishments, and planning for the future. This month, we’re focusing on and talking to past Sahiyo Activists Retreat attendees. […]
10 Years of Sahiyo: Spotlighting Activists Retreat Alumni Farzana Doctor
In December 2025, Sahiyo will celebrate its 10th anniversary, and we’re hosting a campaign to mark the occasion! Starting in July and running through December, we will be highlighting each of our programs, reflecting on our accomplishments, and planning for the future. This month, we’re focusing on and talking to past Sahiyo Activists Retreat attendees. […]
Beyond Advocacy: How the Sahiyo Retreat Deepened My Healing
By Lubaina Plumber I still remember the first time I attended a Sahiyo retreat. I walked into the retreat feeling uncertain, not quite knowing what to expect.But I left with a deep sense of connection—like I had just found a room full of people who spoke a language I had been struggling to translate for […]
Engaging Across Gendered Walls: Talking to Men about FGC
By Zahara Kagalwalla Female Genital Cutting (FGC) has long been confined to spaces occupied by women. It is spoken about in hushed tones, passed down as a “woman’s thing,” a ritual overseen and upheld by grandmothers, mothers, aunts, and elderly women in the community. Men, for the most part, remain absent—silent onlookers, if they are looking […]