A Non-Government Organization (NGO) has mapped and collected data from girls in Kuria community to help in minimizing risks of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
4D Last Mile, which managed to rescue several girls in December during the circumcision season said they have taken up the move as preparation of the upcoming season.
Eulidaice Mogesi, a field officer at the organization said they picked 1,500 girls across the community drawn from 15 primary and secondary schools.
Each school had an average of 100 girls within the age that would be subjected to FGM and they gave their data which included areas if residence, their nyumba kumi elders and parents’ contacts.
“The girls will be keenly monitored as most managed to escape the last circumcision period in rescue center and will help in alerting stakeholders over risk,” Mogesi said.
She said they started early to be able to educate the girls and their parents on negative effects of FGM and also for them to be on the lookout for others in need of rescue since the vice has gone underground.
“We already have their data which will form key in alerts and rescue mission since circumcision is nowadays done at night in homes,” she said.
In December, the organization rescued 100 girls at Kubweye Primary School and was among seven rescue centers which managed to take a total of 2,000 girls into safety against from the cut.
Catherine Tingo, the Kuria East Gender officer at the Ministry of Health lauded the move as key in ensuring girls are secure in and outside rescue centers.
“We had cases where even after leaving rescue centers girls are still abducted and forced into circumcision, we want to end that through timely data collection.
“With such data we will have a long circle of stakeholders from parents, administration police, medics and teachers which will give us enough time to rescue girls,” Tingo said.
Jane Mohabe, a parent at Nyamanche Primary School in Kegonga sub-county said she was happy after her daughter Rael Boke, 14, was among those who were picked for surveillance.
“We got training and capacity building on how we can fight FGM and apart from my daughter I will also work with about ten girls in her circle for monitoring and at least six other parents,” Mohabe said.
She said through the network and data they will be able to monitor clusters in villages to help fight the vice.
“Right now, FGM has gone underground as girls are only cut at night with circumcisers moving around on motorbikes, we will be able to keep our girls safer,” she said.
They were speaking on Monday at Nyamanche Primary School during a pass out parade by the beneficiaries.
The girls and their parents planted over 2,000 trees to help safeguard the environment at the school compound.
By Norah Musega
museganorah@gmail.com
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