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The Devastating Effects of FGM – One of Sierra Leone’s most Influential Grassroots Campaigners Reports

By Rugiatu Turay,

Rugiatu Turay who runs AIM Sierra Leone’s biggest grassroots campaign group against FGM writes about how much FGM is affecting communities all over Sierra Leone.

Above is the Ambulance car that carried the corpse of 21 year old Masiray Sei from the Government Autopsy Centre to her funeral in the Bondo bush. Masiray Sei bled to death after undergoing FGM. May she rest in peace.

#StopEasterFGM

I thought of the 15-year-old at the Kailahun government hospital with a catheter and leaking parts because her parents chose to have her cut. #StopEasterFGM Share on X The lifeless body of the 21-year-old, Maseray Sei, lying in the Bondo Government Hospital mortuary awaiting an autopsy haunts my thoughts. She gave in to peer and societal pressure, little knowing the real and for her, fatal consequences… Share on X In Rosengbeh village Koya chiefdom the father of a deceased 9-year-old confessed that his daughter had bled to death in the Bondo Bush in 2021 after she was cut. #StopEasterFGM Share on X In Rosengbeh village Koya chiefdom the father of a deceased 9-year-old confessed that his daughter had bled to death in the Bondo Bush in 2021 after she was cut. #StopEasterFGM Share on X In Matiba, a young girl walks limping around. Her mother said she developed the limp after she was cut and has not walked the same since then.#StopEasterFGM Share on X A young woman sits outside their house at Falaba Road, Bake Loko chiefdom, Port Loko Town angry after a forced initiation. She protested and refused to be cut but was overwhelmed by her parents. Today, her mental health is affected and… Share on X TIn 2017 a 19-year-old Fatmata Turay died in Makeni and a 28-year-old was forcefully cut in Kenema of the same year. A 10-year-old died in Mile 91 in 2019 of the same shock and excessive bleeding. #StopEasterFGM Share on X My cousin Fatmata Baby Turay died of tetanus after being cut.in Mathaska village. #StopEasterFGM Share on X In Kontha Village, a woman pregnant in her six months was cut and died of shock and excessive bleeding. #StopEasterFGM Share on X How many more? #StopEasterFGM – join us – meet these activists live on zoom and hear from the panel about plans to stop the cutting across Africa during the coming Easter Holidays.Date – February 3rd, 6:30pm-8:00pm GMT Share on X

How many more? #StopEasterFGM – join us – meet these activists live on zoom and hear from the panel about plans to stop the cutting across Africa during the coming Easter Holidays.
Date – February 3rd, 6:30pm-8:00pm GMT

Ruth Harley

Ruth Harley is working with GMC as a Website News Editor, compiling stories written by End FGM campaigners working with the Global Media Campaign to End FGM across Africa. Alongside this work, she is running The Women’s Vinyl Project which empowers women and girls through singing and music and is helping to end FGM.