Saying no to FGM: My story

Esther, 13, attends a primary school in Kenya that has been supported by ChildFund through its local partner in her community for more than two decades. ChildFund currently works in the school by facilitating a Child Rights Club, providing meals for students and running gardening and tree planting programs.

Perhaps most crucially, ChildFund constructed a school dormitory nearly three years ago as a safe place for girls to learn away from the pressures and dangers that can sometimes exist for them at home, including female genital mutilation (FGM), a painful traditional practice that is associated with multiple health risks and child marriage.

Below is Esther’s story in her own words.

My name is Esther, and I'm 13 years old. I'm enjoying school. We have enough time with the teachers here because of the dormitory ChildFund built.

We are learning so many practical things! Home science is my favorite subject because I like cooking and baking. My favorite thing to make is cake. We also learn about children's rights through the Child Rights Club. We are told what to do if our rights are violated.

Me and my friends dancing at the Child Rights Club.

Before I came to school here, I was given so many chores at home. But since I'm in a boarding school, I don't have to worry about that. I can focus on school.

I have been here for two years now. I was in another school before, but I transferred to this one because it had the dormitory.

I first found out about the dorm when other girls in my area told me about it. I went back and told my parents I wanted to go to [the school]. They weren't happy about that. They wanted me to stay home, get cut and get married. I felt isolated because I knew the girls at [my school] had not gone through that, and I wanted friends to be close to. So I came by myself to the school to enroll. I don't have contact with my parents anymore.

Me and my friend Ianoi at our dormitory.

I know some girls who have undergone FGM. They are quickly married off. The moment you say yes to FGM, you say yes to marriage. One girl I know, her leg was injured when she went through the cut, and now she is limping. FGM can end in death because of excessive bleeding. Even the government does not support it.

Since I have access to education now, I feel so good. I feel like I can see my future. I'm sure when I graduate, I will be able to earn money and live a better life. I want to be an engineer because you can be your own boss. You can even be the boss of men and have men who work beneath you!

I want to be an example to other girls. I want them to see that I have not been cut, and I am doing well. Boys and girls should be equal. We have the same rights. You can't say that one is more special than the other.