We are working with the local community to build a Safe House in the Mara region of Tanzania for girls at risk of FGM where they will be able to learn a trade to support themselves. FGM carries huge health risks to girls and 50% of girls in this area are still at risk, despite successful campaigns.
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50% of girls in Tanzania's Mara region are at risk of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) with consequent risks of infection, mental trauma, difficulties with menstruation, urinary problems and later problems during pregnancy and delivery of babies, with a higher than average rate of still-born babies. We have had success in taking a team of actors, singers and dancers into the villages to put on performances and role plays which entertain but also give a clear message of the harm that FGM does.
Despite the success we are having in changing attitudes to FGM in the area, there is a desperate need for a SAFE HOUSE to which girls who want to escape from FGM can come. This will provide a home for 20 girls at a time who will learn skills such as word processing, carpentry and dressmaking so that they can earn their own living. The attached training centre will be open to all young people from the local community, with some places reserved for the disabled.