The Wind of Change: Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation in Rafin Kara

Liyatu Bawa, a forty-year-old mother of six hailing from Rafin Kara in Igabi LGA, Kaduna State, courageously shares the harrowing journey her community endured, where Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) once thrived as a fashionable trend. However, a powerful wind of enlightenment blew through Rafin Kara, thanks to massive awareness campaigns and advocacy by HVCF/AAN transforming their perspectives and leading them to abandon this harmful practice. Liyatu Bawa reflects on the profound impact this newfound knowledge has had on her community, shedding light on the transformative journey they embarked upon.

Liyatu Bawa openly acknowledges the past ignorance that perpetuated the practice of FGM in Rafin Kara. Unaware of the devastating effects of female circumcision, the community unknowingly subjected their female offspring to this crime against their bodies. However, with the arrival of enlightenment, driven by the relentless efforts of HVCF/AAN, the people of Rafin Kara underwent a profound shift in understanding. Liyatu Bawa affirms their transformation, stating, "We were doing FGM out of ignorance, and since we became enlightened, we stopped because it affects the reproductive health of women."

Through extensive awareness and advocacy campaigns conducted over the past seven years, the practice of FGM has been successfully eradicated in the Rafin Kara community. The winds of enlightenment have blown away the shadows of ignorance, empowering the community to protect the rights and well-being of their daughters. Liyatu Bawa, a mother of girls, expresses profound relief at being freed from the burden of perpetuating this harmful tradition.