My inner healing at Sahiyo's Activist Retreat in the U.S.

the room including myself, had shared hopes from the retreat; to find a space where we could openly share our FGM /khatna stories, to build a strong support group, to gain knowledge and tools to confidently speak up against FGM/khatna, and...

Female Genital Cutting Diaries: Addressing the chief in Mali

1 details her stumbling upon the aftermath of a cutting in Konza.] As the editorial intern at Sahiyo, I’ve been reading the stories of women who’ve been sharing their experiences with female genital cutting with the world. Each story is so important,...

Why I care about khatna: Reflections from the 2019 Sahiyo Activist Retreat

our homes, and our families. At the foundation of all of this is storytelling. Without survivors andallies sharing their stories, the topic remains shrouded in silence. My hope is that the retreat will help grow our community of activists. And that...

Sahiyo talks about female genital cutting at 3rd Annual Intersections of Violence conference

to work/respond to survivors. Most attendees had little experience with FGC and so throughout the presentation, survivor stories, from Sahiyo Stories project were shown to participants to help contextualize that FGC was an issue within the U.S....

International Digital Storytelling Conference 2023

a trauma-informed approach to engage survivors and activists in the U.S. and around the world in telling their personal stories of FGM/C. Voices supports storytellers in healing, connecting in solidarity, and growing as leaders in the movement calling...

Volunteer spotlight: Editorial Intern Cecilia Mwakenya

Corporation (KBC). Cecilia is passionate about women and girl's empowerment and has been telling human interest stories on human rights and education. She is excited to work with Sahiyo to help end female genital cutting among Asian and other...

Volunteer Spotlight: Programs Intern Hannah Manucal

to come forward, so if anyone is brave enough to share their story, the least I can do is listen. Having listened to the stories of several survivors from the Voices to End FGM/C Fall 2022 Cohort, I have realized howimportant it is to uplift their...

Applications open to join the 2023 Voices to End FGM/C hybrid digital storytelling workshop cohort!

brings individuals impacted by FGM/C together in order to heal, build community with one another, and create digital stories that can be used to support surivors and educate and prevent future generations form undergoing this harm. More about the...

Not allowing my story on female genital mutilation/cutting to be hidden anymore

it deserves. I have never talked about my experience before, and as someone who wants to help other people share their stories, I knew that it had to start with me. For that reason I found this workshop impactful and learned a lot for myself, including...

Volunteer Spotlight: Social Media and Communications Intern Xinge Lei

(FGC) for the first time like? Learning about FGC was extremely emotional for me. I cried while listening to the Voices stories on Youtube, and while I listened to any woman speak on this subject. I was aware of some cutting/mutilation practices, but I...

A Plan in Action: Reflecting on the 2023 Peer-to-Peer National ARP Convening

only to have it roll back down the moment he gets close to completion — neverending. This frustration was echoed in the stories of hardship shared by representatives of the various non-profit organizations seeking to serve and support their communities....

I Didn’t Dare Ask

exploratory exuberance. What have you learned or most enjoyed during the workshop and by meeting others who shared their stories? Hearing stories from others was an eye-opener. At the workshop, I became more aware that FGM/C can be like secondhand...

Exploring Diverse Narratives of FGM/C: A Virtual Voices Screening Event

the powerful storytelling of our Voices to End FGM/C program, we will showcase a collection of authentic and compelling stories, each offering a glimpse into the lived experiences, resilience, and courage of individuals impacted by FGM/C. Webinar...

Reflecting on the FGC 101 Training at the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault Conference

not only aim to end the harmful practice of FGC but also to uplift and empower survivors. The audience's reaction to the stories of survivors was also a significant part of the presentation. The room was filled with shock and discomfort, but also...

Sahiyo Resources

Reflecting on our webinar: Quiet Activism and Understanding the Psychosocial Impacts of Female Genital Cutting

panel of inspiring speakers: Arefa Cassoobhoy, Farrah Dalal, Doris Mukangu, and Lubaina Plumber. Each shared their personal stories of activism and reflected on how their work has evolved during different stages of their lives. Our speakers opened up...

Impactful Media Reporting on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in the United States: A Reflection on our April 17, 2024 Webinar

survivors: “I can't stress enough how important it is to build those contacts with survivors because that is how you get stories. When I meet advocates, or survivors I like to spend quite a lot of time with them, and meet them in person, because even if...

Sahiyo held its 8th Voices to END FGM/C Workshop in California

as survivors, advocates, and/or activists, within a supportive story circle. This laid the foundation for the powerful stories that would follow. For the in-person segment, participants met in Berkeley, California to immerse themselves in an enriching,...

Turning Grief into Purpose

voice louder and louder and louder" The Voices workshop provided her a cathartic space to tell her story, and to learn the stories of others who had undergone harmful practices like FGC. “I've learned a lot about being confident and I learned a lot...

Finding safe people and protecting your peace is key, says activist Grace Culqui

reassurance [from Tight Lipped]. When I joined, I felt finally I had found my community. Starting to hear other people's stories, [I realized] that I'm not alone in what I was going through, even though I felt alone for so long.” Ultimately, that...