The venue is a remote village in Rombo Emanyatta about 30km from Loitoktok town. The dust in this place is cruel, it blows mercilessly. But the hope that emanates from the 1,200 girls faces is match no for the dust. They are adorned in full Maasai regalia. They sing songs, recite poetry and dance denouncing the age old practice of FGM while demanding their rights; education and health.
On the 28th of August 2015; a colorful ceremony dubbed Anti-FGM and Alternative rite of Passage (ARP) that aims to stop Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting among the Maasai and Samburu communities of both Kenya and Tanzania took place.FGM has been practiced within these communities for hundreds of years. It is a rite of passage that propels one’s status from girlhood to womanhood. Once a girl undergoes the cut, she can start a family. This belief has contributed greatly to the practice of early marriage thus denying the girl her right to education.
The ceremony was preceded by a week long preparation of girls. They received lessons on human rights-child rights in particular, HIV/AIDS, sexual education as well as the laws in place protecting against the practice of FGM.With the ARP, the girls go through the same rituals they would go through but the cut is excluded.Therefore,they can still safely transition into womanhood.
In attendance were community leaders, government representatives, lawmakers who urged the community leaders to curb the practice to ensure that the girls could attain their future aspirations. The initiative of AMREF Health Africa has seen more than 7000 girls undergo the Alternative rite of Passage (ARP)who have gone ahead to attain their education and better their future.
STOP FGM! START THE ALTERNATIVE #girlsmatter
Read more about the largest Alternative Rite of Passage ceremony that happened on Friday, August 28 in Loitokitok here
Reported by: Adikinyi Bwire, PtW Volunteer
