A love letter to my mother who cut me
By Afiqa Years ago, I learned of Malay classical and modern manuscripts on sex and erotic imageries by Malay women writers at a talk. Most were written under pseudonyms or not given credit if not a man. But a Malay women writer, Khatijah Terung, struck me with her bold, vulnerable, and erotic writing. Social control […]
Sahiyo India holds guest lecture for students in Mumbai
On March 5th, in the run up to International Women’s Day, Sahiyo India was invited to hold a guest lecture on female fenital cutting (FGC) for first-year students of Mumbai’s BMN Women’s College of Home Science; this screening was held in association with Muse Foundation. Sahiyo co-founder Aarefa Johari conducted the online session, which had […]
Struggle, belonging, and community: Sahiyo and StoryCenter hosted a Voices to End FGM/C screening
By Sandra Yu On August 19th, 2021, Sahiyo and StoryCenter co-hosted a film screening and panel discussion to highlight voices from the Voices to End FGM/C Digital Storytelling workshop. The event showcased eleven new digital stories, created virtually by a global group of advocates and survivors of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), during January and February. […]
Voices reflection: Hear it from a Hindu girl, FGM/C has nothing to do with religion
By Priya Goswami I was 11 years old when my mother said I was ‘impure’ now that I got my periods. The idea of ‘impurity’ in front of God enraged the eleven-year-old me. I wanted to know if my Muslim and Christian friends were also told not to ‘touch God’ or go near him in […]
Voices reflection: Sharing my narrative
By Zahara Before I participated in this year’s Voices to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) workshop, I had seen blurbs from previous years. In my head, the Voices program was an in-person workshop where a community of people got together to share their stories. However, COVID-19 happened, and this in-person experience was transformed into a […]
Voices to End FGM/C: 2022 Workshop
Get involved with the next cohort of the Voices to End FGM/C project! Since 2015, Sahiyo has provided various storytelling platforms for women and community members from all over the world to share their experiences of female genital cutting (FGC) through our Voices to End FGM/C program, in hopes of preventing this harmful practice from occurring […]
Voices reflection: Building our stories for the world
Being anonymous does not mean that I am powerless. Being anonymous does not mean that I don’t have a name, or an identity. Being anonymous does not mean that I don’t have words. Being anonymous does not take my freedom away from me. Behind that anonymous, is a mind and a body. Whole. Full. Circling […]
Voices reflection: Speaking freely about my experience
By Somaya Abdelrahman It is safe to say that the day I underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) was by far the worst day of my life. I grew up in a country that is infamous for the high rate of FGM in the region in Egypt. I was cut at the age of 10. I […]
Voices reflection: Speaking freely about my experience
By Somaya Abdelrahman It is safe to say that the day I underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) was by far the worst day of my life. I grew up in a country that is infamous for the high rate of FGM in the region in Egypt. I was cut at the age of 10. I […]
Voices reflection: Storytelling as a powerful medium
By Nicole Mitchell I was inspired to join this workshop because the idea of using storytelling as a medium to fight oppression is particularly powerful. I also wanted to listen to other women tell their stories and support them in speaking truth to power. My hope is that by being vulnerable and sharing my story, […]