By: The Anole Sister

Being an Anole Sisters member, I am an FGM/C survivor. For the past four decades, I have lived with this experience. Since 2015, I have been advocating for and raising awareness about FGM/C along with other survivors, women, and girls at risk. However, I had never shared my story publicly until I joined the Sahiyo Voices to End FGM/C workshop in 2024.

At the workshop, I created a video and shared a story from my childhood that had been buried deep within me. This act of sharing not only inspired me but also resonated with many in the audience, breaking a long-held silence. Now, I feel much more empowered to encourage others to share their stories, to let go, and to continue advocating against FGM/C. I used to be nervous about sharing my story with other people, but not anymore. I love my story, that’s why I chose to tell it and attend the workshop. 

I also wanted to attend the workshop so that I could hear other people’s stories, and so that we could learn from each other. I want my story to bring awareness to the issue and to the community. I also want people who don’t know about the practice to learn more about FGM/C, so more people might share stories that are similar to mine. In this workshop, I really enjoyed learning, and listening to all the stories of the other participants, each of which are different and important. 

My advocacy is something that will never stop. We still have a lot of sisters who have been through this practice. I want to help them speak about that and encourage others to share their experiences too, so that people can learn about FGM/C. I also want to continue my advocacy because I want this program to continue. There are a lot of sisters back home who have never shared their stories and it’s very important for them to come together and learn from each other.

My story is my own, and no one can hold me back from sharing it.

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