Following her own brutal experience of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Awa saw her little sister go through the same traumatic procedure which went wrong.
The event made her determined to prevent others from suffering the same fate.
"I saw that my little sister had been excised. The mutilation went badly wrong: she haemorrhaged and almost lost her life.
I told myself that I had to do everything I could to ensure that our little sisters, and all the little girls who come after us, never suffer the same fate."
In 2017, Awa took part in the ENSEMBLE project run by Humanity & Inclusion, where local partner organisations provide advice and guidance to young victims of violence. Here, Awa received training in sexual health, communication, leadership and personal development. With her new knowledge and skills, she set up a girls' club in her neighbourhood, organising many activities. Thanks to this experience, she is now a peer educator.
"In our communities, there's a breakdown in communication between parents and children. Young people lack information. Today, my duty is to go out there and raise their awareness, inform them about the consequences of early marriage, early pregnancy and female genital mutilation."
Awa is determined to teach and empower as many young girls as she can in Senegal. But there is still so much to do. Her mission is to ensure that the programs provided by Humanity & Inclusion and other organisations reach even the most remote villages so that every girl is protected.
Join Awa and sign the petition to support her mission to protect young girls in Senegal.
Thank you.
