Maria Lomuket has prioritized education since she was a child. This prompted her to avoid female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage by whatever means necessary, which led to her working as a pariah in her home village for a time, but she eventually completed her schooling and became a teacher. Despite being labeled a “bad girl,” she believes that the end justifies the means.
Maria Lomuket found herself in Tippet Village following her marriage, a place hidden deep in the hills of Endough Ward, West Pokot, where FGM, early marriage, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) were the norm. According to the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), the prevalence rate of female genital mutilation in West Pokot is 74%, however the number is estimated to rise due to the country’s and world’s current situation regarding the Covid-19 pandemic.
In West Pokot, formal education is so foreign and loathed to the extent that only the ‘less promising boys’ were occasionally ‘sacrificed’. The brightest boys were assigned to raise livestock, which was highly regarded above all else. It was customary for the daughters to be circumcised and married off at a young age in order for their parents and relatives to gain additional livestock from the bride’s wealth.
Maria Lomuket was disappointed to discover that her matrimonial village lacked a school and no one with a formal education. She was zealous in the application of her expertise and God-given wisdom in establishing a literacy class that has blossomed into a modern school. “I transformed a drum into a blackboard and built a classroom entirely out of sticks and leafy branches to protect my students from the scorching sun.” The stern head teacher of Tippet Primary School narrates.
While cutting a bush to make way for a school, Umoja Development Organization, in collaboration with Men End FGM and with support from UNICEF, reached the village with their programme aimed at accelerating the abandonment of FGM in West Pokot and Samburu County. Maria Lomuket encouraged the neighbors around her modest school to attend the awareness sessions, where she served as a role model and facilitator. Once anti-FGM knowledge began to grow, many community members sought her advice. As a result, she urged them to abandon FGM and early marriage in favor of enrolling their girls in her school. “There was no teacher available, so I volunteered and began teaching the children who came to school, including mine,” Maria explains.
Female genital mutilation has had an indirect impact on teenage pregnancies in West Pokot County where 29% of girls below the age of 18 were pregnant. Girls who marry before the age of 18 are less likely to complete their education and are more likely to be victims of domestic violence. Additionally, they are more susceptible to difficulties associated with pregnancy and childbirth than women in their 20s, putting them at risk of death.
The institution which Mariah built became a focal point for community mobilization and sensitization against female genital mutilation(FGM). As awareness spread, more adolescents, particularly girls, began attending school. The children were educated about female genital mutilation(FGM) and the value of education. As the demand for classes increased, a foreign woman from America, Miss McAday, stepped in to assist her by constructing classrooms. “When girls lack access to crucial services such as education their risk to female genital mutilation(FGM) rises tremendously, jeopardizing their health, and future.” Says Mariah. Currently, the institution serves as a residential school and a rescue facility for children at risk of female genital mutilation(FGM) and early marriage.
Men End FGM aims to protect all children from all forms of violence, including harmful practices such as FGM and child marriage. Through mentorship and sensitization, we empower the female child while keeping the boy child, young men, and elders informed.
As the world progresses toward a post-pandemic future, we owe it to the girls and women who are at risk from this heinous practice to ensure that no one is left behind. Thus, on this year’s commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for female genital mutilation(FGM), we must recommit to deliberate and well-funded action to get back on track and eradicate the practice globally. Additionally, there is a need for all aspects of society to work together to protect vulnerable communities, promote gender equality & harness youthful energy.