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 […]
You don’t know how much you need it until it’s over
By Umme Kulsoom Arif, Esq. I first attended a Sahiyo Activists’ Retreat in 2022, when virtual meetings were still the norm. Since then, I have been a member of the Activists’ Retreat planning committee, working on programming and logistics for in-person and virtual retreats alike. The 2025 Activists’ Retreat was my second in-person retreat. I’m not […]
Reflection on the Sahiyo Activists Retreat 2024: Zahara Kagalwalla
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 form of gender-based violence. The retreats include educational programs, self-care activities, and presentations from […]
Empowered and Ignited
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 […]