FGM SURVIVORS SMILE AS THE WORLD MARKS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

At least 20 girls who survived from undergoing forced female genital mutilation(FGM) and child marriage in Tarime district  have another reason  to smile after ATFGM Masanga, a, local  NGO in Tanzania gave them 20 sewing machines, thanks to Terre des Hommes for supporting the initiative .

ATFGM Masanga Director Sr. Stella Mgaya handed over the aid to the girls  today during this year’s International Women Day celebrations held at the rural ward of Mbogi in Tarime district of Mara region.

“We are so much excited because the sewing machines will give us an opportunity to start income generating activities”, Maria Thomas (18), one of the beneficiaries said.

Sr Stella Mgaya

Ms Upendo Kaswaga , a  senior government official who represented Tarime District Commissioner Eng Mtemi Msafiri as the guest of honour  during the event  thanked Sr Stella Mgaya for devoting large part of her life to rescue hundreds of girls from undergoing FGM and child marriage in the district where the harmful culture is still considered  as an important culture.

  Speaking during the event Ms Leah Kimaro from Right to Play, an international organization that uses the power of sports to tackle social challenges said the organization is working hard with 101 primary schools and five secondary schools in Tarime ad Serengeti districts to promote gender equality so as to ensure that girl child is not discriminated on education matters.  

Leah Kimaro

“We are also training  teachers to be gender sensitive even when it comes to sitting arrangements in classrooms, selecting students’ leadership. We also are engaging schools committees through capacity building workshops so that they can help to reduce domestic assigned to girls”, Ms Kimaro said.

A male councilor leads women to sing a  song that motivates women to to be traders  

Right to Play, she said is also working together with Imara Foundation, a local NGO to conduct  numerous public campaigns designed to tackle FGM, child marriage and teenage pregnancies in the two districts.

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