Officially prohibited but still practised hundredthousand of times: In Ethiopia genital mutilation of girls is still a cruel reality. Kindernothilfe fights against this traditional practice and intends spreading its successful project (project 60/60/AQ/51) over the whole country.
In Ethiopia the genital mutilation of girls has been practised for thousands of years. „The parents want to ensure their daughters future. A girl who has not gone through circumcision is considered as impure and infertile“, stated Habtamu Mammo, the local project manager of Kindernothilfe’s partner.
Since the year 2000 Kindernothilfe and its partner „Kale Heywet Church“ have been fighting against the genital mutilation of girls. „In ten districts of south-west Ethiopia circumcision is not practised anymore“, reportet project leader Mammo. More than 630 persons who before had carried out the mutilations gave up their work. „The circumcisers are key-figures. They need financial incentives to give up their profitable business. Our small-loan-programme will enable them to develop a new existence.“
Also the girls are crucial actors. More than 20.000 organized themselves in „Anti-Circumcision-Clubs“. Here they learn how to oppose to mutilation. In 2006 more than 500.000 people were reached.
Ejegayehu Abede has two daughters. She consciously decided against circumcision. Now she is convincing other mothers. On the whole 530 so-called „Change Agents“ are at work. Since 2005 they have been visiting 98.000 families and informed them about the risks and consequences of mutilation.
Kindernothilfe is planning to expand this project from 2008 on into eight further districts. Here 144.000 girls are in danger of circumcision.
Your donation will help to expand our successful project into eight further districts. Thereby you will contribute to prevent girls from their barbarous mutilation and – in the long run – to ban this brutal tradition at all.
(translated by betterplace)
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