John Donne said, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.” That sentiment, the concept of interdependence, is a huge part of why I do the work I do in Kenya with the organization I co-founded: Mekuno Project. The girls and women in the areas we work are having their rights taken away because of both a cultural ritual called Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), as well as child marriage. Mekuno Project is working every day to put a permanent end to both, with practical solutions. Education is one of the pillars of our holistic plan, and I’ll show you why in today’s blog.
FGM and Successfully Ending It
If you’re unfamiliar, FGM involves the complete or partial removal of female sexual organs, serving as a mechanism to control girls’ sexual behavior. This horrendous ritual is largely performed between the ages of five and nine years old. FGM is viewed as a girl’s rite of passage into womanhood as well as a prerequisite for marriage. Mekuno Project knows there are better, safer alternatives. We have formulated and introduced Alternative Rites of Passage (ARP) in order to eliminate the need for FGM. However, that didn’t happen overnight. We have enjoyed success in the regions we work with a more than 90% drop in the prevalence of FGM in some communities. But if we want to see those results expand, we must understand the root causes of FGM and child marriage.
The WHY
You, like many others, may be wondering why female genital mutilation is still practiced if it’s such an awful, harmful thing. It’s because of what it affords a family. When girls are married, their families often receive a dowry. A dowry is usually in the form of money or livestock. In impoverished regions, the dowry can feel like the only viable option for a family to endure economic hardships. Many families regard this payment as the only secure source of income. As resources become scarcer, families become more desperate. This is why FGM gets practiced at younger ages. Mekuno Project has identified a way to combat this problem.
The Role of Education
Here in the United States school is something many take for granted. Our children are mandated to attend during a period of their lives in order to gain education and skills they will need in adulthood. For the girls in the regions we work, an education isn’t guaranteed, and for many it isn’t even likely!
Access to quality education opens doors to previously unimaginable possibilities for a girl. Education has the power to break the cycle of poverty and stop the cycle of child marriage and FGM. When we visited Kenya to reveal the new school building they would be using, the entire experience shifted my perspective. I watched these girls jump with pure glee and delight at the realization that they would be afforded an opportunity to attend school. Suddenly, we all knew this wasn’t just about reading, math and science. It was as if we had given them the key that would unlock proverbial doors. These were the doors that had previously held freedom, security and empowerment captive.
Freedom and Safety
Mekuno Project is determined to bring education to the girls and women in Kenya because the impact is SO great! Schools offer safe havens for girls in communities that practice FGM. Our studies show that the longer a girl stays in school, the less likely she is to be married. When a girl gets her education, she gains the ability to grow up and be a contributor to her community without the need for a dowry. She can go back into her village as a nurse or doctor and use her skills to bring resources to her family. Education helps mothers and fathers see that there is another way that doesn’t have to involve cutting.
The HOW
So now we know why education is so important in our quest to end FGM and child marriage, but we need to know how we bring it to fruition. Well, collaboration is the answer. Mekuno Project supports access to quality education via advocacy at local and national levels. Our partners collaborate with the Kenyan government to fulfill its legal mandate to ensure children have access to high-quality schooling. We also understand the need to consider those who are especially vulnerable. For those girls and boys we provide school fees and other personal supports such as Dignity Kits, school uniforms, and supplies, so they can stay in school and learn without interruption. We even work with the local governments to ensure there are menstruation washrooms, dormitories, rescue centers and access to clean water.
Education holds the key to a new life for not just individual girls and women, but for entire communities. Mekuno Project is dedicated to making it a reality for all of them, but we need your help! Please visit our website to learn more about what we do. Consider donating to this very important cause. Thank you in advance. Together, we can change lives. Let’s do that!
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