Annamaria on Monday
While researching the first two books of my Africa series, I never learned about female genital mutilation (FGM). Those first stories dealt with colonialism’s general effects on the tribal populations. The plot of Book 3–The Blasphemers, however, deals specifically with the treatment of pastoralist peoples. In studying them, I learned that in 1906 British missionaries had begun to fight against FGM. They sought, over a hundred years ago, to make the practice illegal in British East Africa (now Kenya). Such laws eventually passed. But – as with all crimes – having a law does not stop people from committing criminal acts. FGM continues to be practiced until this day. For the girls between ages eleven and fourteen, it is almost immediately followed by forced marriage.
These cultural customs became background to the story of The Blasphemers. Then, just as the book launched, I met Sarah Lesiamito, a proud Maasai woman from Samburu, Kenya, who at the time, had begun to rescue girls from these still-entrenched, retrogressive customs that robbed female children of freedom of any choice of how to live their lives. I began doing what I could to support Sarah’s work.
When pastoralist girls refuse circumcision and want to continue with their education, they are almost always banished from their families. Therefore, they need all the necessities of life–food, clothing, shelter, and moral support.
Sarah began by taking the girls into her own home, and for many years gave them all they needed to finish school and sometimes to go on to secondary school and higher education. One of those girls is now a nurse, who volunteers her services to the girls who have come after her. When I met Sarah, she had ten girls in her care.
As her success grew, Sarah founded the Sidai Resource Center and attained non-profit community organization status in Kenya. Sidai now has a dormitory building and cares for forty-seven girls who have refused FGM and forced marriage and are now finishing school. They are becoming full-fledged members of society. Thanks to Sarah and Sidai.
Over the past couple of years, a group of friends have joined me in supporting this important work. Our first goal was to gain tax-exempt status in the United States, so that we might invite others, who believe in education and freedom for girls everywhere, to join us. We have persevered in this complicated process and are thrilled to announce, that under the auspices of CAFAmerica, we can now do so.
Today, I am inviting you!
Many of you, I am sure, believe in causes like ours. Now, your donation can save a girl from pain and suffering that could last her lifetime. Or from an infection that will rob her of her life. Your generosity can free a twelve-year-old from being forced to marry a man many times her own age.
A girl you support may become a teacher. An accountant. A seamstress. A doctor.
A world of opportunity awaits those girls.
You can participate in their liberation.
Right here! Right now!
