Zero Tolerance from the Ground Up
February 6 was ZERO TOLERANCE for FGM Day.
Kenya Works was on the ground in Musenke, leading the community to a new understanding of the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
FGM is widely practiced as an initiation to indicate a girl is ready for marriage, often around age 11
FGM and child marriage almost always keep a girl from completing her education and lead to early motherhood
The long-term economic impact hurts girls, families and communities
There is no medical benefit to FGM and the practice introduces many long-term health risks
It is primarily done by nonprofessional practitioners, in unsterile environments
Kenya Works enters a community like Musenke with the support of a leader and a spark of willingness from within to change their cultural practices.
Together, they build coalitions of men, women, boys and girls creating unity and self-declarations to eliminate the practice from within.
When girls and boys raise their voices against human rights violations, they change our world.