During a recent medical examination 21 year old Sia found out that she had undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) as a young girl. Her genitalia were sewn up and she was left with a tiny hole to urinate and menstruate. For many years she had experienced excruciating pain. During the examination her doctor also found a stone in her bladder, which has been making things even worse. She needs urgent medical treatment.

Sia is currently staying at a shelter run by the Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM), a front line organization which works to end FGM in Sierra Leone, where almost 90% of women have been affected. AIM runs a safe house for girls fleeing FGM and teaches them about its harms. It is extremely dangerous work in an environment where it is often part of secret society initiation and seen as a rite of passage to adulthood.

Sia underwent FGM as a young girl

I’m writing to you to ask you to make a contribution to our Efua Dorkenoo Fund to End FGM to help women like Sia get the medical treatment they so urgently need and to help protect the 3 million girls who are currently at risk of it happening to them around the world.  You can make a real difference in the lives of these girls.

Sincerely,

Jessica Neuwirth
Director