The World Health Organization defines Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
It is an ancient cultural practice, which causes significant physical and psychological health risks, including infections, bleeding, damage to adjacent organs, sterility, birth complications & even death.
FGM is a global problem that affects 3 million girls a year - one every 10 seconds - and is the leading cause of school dropout for girls.
It is a part of our mission to work towards eradicating FGM, in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goal of ending this archaic and harmful practice by 2030.
Your donation of any amount will allow field workers to continue monitoring the girls, enable us to establish rescue camps for the girls, and bring in law enforcement when necessary.
Donate NowIn Kenya, we use V4D, which generates real-time data to track girls at-risk of FGM. We collaborate with local partners, educators, law enforcement, religious and tribal leaders, and even parents to provide just in-time intervention measures that rescue girls at-risk of FGM. We are using V4D to enroll thousands of girls from various schools in our program to give them a voice and agency to speak up against FGM. We have used educational modules on the V4D platform to raise awareness about the harms of FGM. Since the launch of our community outreach campaign, we have informed more than 5,500 family and community members in over 40+ villages. Using V4D's platform, trained field workers record their findings and put intervention measures in place to rescue the girls at-risk.
Enrolled girls
Saved
Still at risk
Parents trained
This video captures the incredible work of LM4D's trained teams, as they work directly with young girls, mothers, fathers, community leaders, and government officials to prevent FGM and protect vulnerable girls.
. FGM is a violation of human rights under international laws and treaties.
. FGM impacts girls for life, not only with physical and emotional trauma, but also because it affects the girls' ability to get an education, make choices for better economic opportunities, and reach their maximum capacity as productive members of society.
. FGM prevents girls from lifting themselves out of poverty and advancing towards positive contributions to societal, economic, and political life.
. FGM results in higher rates of illiteracy and exploited laborers in subsistence farming, which only perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
. FGM is a silent crime and practiced even where it is directly outlawed, such as in the UK, Germany, and Kenya.
. FGM persists, because societal norms link marriageability and the need for a larger dowry to this harmful practice.
