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Support girls in Marsabit to break the silence on FGM through football
A project from Horn of Africa Development Initiative - HODI in Marsabit, Kenya
Breaking the SILENCE ON FGM and EARLY FORCED MARRIAGES through football is an initiative of HODI in Marsabit Northern Kenya. Where girls have no voice and the have no choice. The project uses the power of football to help create safe space for girls.
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About this project
Fatuma A. from Horn of Africa Development Initiative - HODI is responsible for this project
Breaking the Silence on FGM and Early marriage through football is an innovative project that uses the power of sport to create a safe space for girls in Northern Kenya. In Marsabit where the project is based girls and women have no voice or choice. They cannot be seen seen or heard and the culture is so deeply rooted that even talking about the issues that affect women and girls is a taboo. Female Genital Mutilation, Early forced marriages, beading, girls dropping out of schools are some of the major challenges girls have to deal with on daily basis. In our organization HODI we use football for social change and with the girls we are using it to help break the silence on the issues that affect them where the practices are still at 100%. In itself use of football is a statement where girls are not allowed to participate in sports and football is a powerful tool to say NO to restrictions on girls in Marsabit. HODI uses football to create a safe space for the girls where they can discuss some of the issues away from the elders and community. The sessions are used to help the girls have a voice and a choice in life and armed with facts be in a position to make an informed choice. Although FGM is unlawful in Kenya each year in Marsabit girls go through it in secrecy; also early marriage is not allowed but still practiced in Marsabit with little or no action to enforce the legislation.
Through the football we support our girls to stand up for themselves and say NO to the harmful cultural practices; a team of volunteer girls will help lead the sessions and coach the girls not just in football but also life skill sessions for 2 days a week. HODI will reach out to 100 girls in school and 50 girls out of school. The girls who have dropped out or are at the verge of dropping out are offered support for education which entails payment of fees, uniforms, books and personal effects like soap, pads among others. The skills training for those out of school is in professional tailoring course which is for child mothers who are not accepted at home either due to pregnancy or divorce. This is accompanied by counseling to help the girls facing rejection. In some instances the girls are from poor families whose parents cannot afford fees for high school. Life skill sessions will also be offered to girls in and out of school reaching another 150 girls. As an organization we are faced with the challenges of having our girls play in the community fields because of cultural restrictions and norms. Our girls have been scolded and beaten because of turning up for the life skill sessions and football training. HODI has acquired a 1.5acres of land to build a safe space for the girls rescued from FGM, early forced marriages and beading. We still lack resources to build the structure which we hope to put up by 2014. We need your support to help the girls of Marsabit be safe from the harmful cultural practices and above all have a voice and a choice in Life.
Through the football we support our girls to stand up for themselves and say NO to the harmful cultural practices; a team of volunteer girls will help lead the sessions and coach the girls not just in football but also life skill sessions for 2 days a week. HODI will reach out to 100 girls in school and 50 girls out of school. The girls who have dropped out or are at the verge of dropping out are offered support for education which entails payment of fees, uniforms, books and personal effects like soap, pads among others. The skills training for those out of school is in professional tailoring course which is for child mothers who are not accepted at home either due to pregnancy or divorce. This is accompanied by counseling to help the girls facing rejection. In some instances the girls are from poor families whose parents cannot afford fees for high school. Life skill sessions will also be offered to girls in and out of school reaching another 150 girls. As an organization we are faced with the challenges of having our girls play in the community fields because of cultural restrictions and norms. Our girls have been scolded and beaten because of turning up for the life skill sessions and football training. HODI has acquired a 1.5acres of land to build a safe space for the girls rescued from FGM, early forced marriages and beading. We still lack resources to build the structure which we hope to put up by 2014. We need your support to help the girls of Marsabit be safe from the harmful cultural practices and above all have a voice and a choice in Life.
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