In the beautiful landscapes of Tharaka Nithi, lives Phillis Kaguna. At 78 years old, Phillis carries the weight of a past that is both personal and communal, reflecting a practice deeply rooted in culture yet filled with pain and loss.
Phillis was not just any member of her community. She played a pivotal role in a ritual passed down through generations. As a traditional cutter, a mantle she inherited from her mother, she was an integral part of the traditional rite of passage for young girls. Over two decades, Phillis cut more than 100 girls, a task that brought her a fortune gain—paid in the form of goats and cash —and emotional turmoil. “I have cut more than 100 girls in my lifetime. I would get paid with a goat and kshs 500 as a top-up token, especially during the December and April holidays”.
The scars of female genital mutilation not only affected the girls but also engraved deeply into Phillis’s soul. Some of these young lives bled profusely or succumbed to infections, and tragically, two of them died.
The turning point in Phillis’s life came in 1993, sparked by an act of defiance that would set her on a path of redemption and advocacy. Her granddaughter, a bright young girl thriving under the sponsorship of a Catholic priest, publicly refused to undergo the cut. This bold refusal challenged Phillis’s convictions and practices. It was an awakening. If her granddaughter could reject this age-old tradition in favour of education and a different future, how could she continue to impose it on others?
This led Phillis to renounce her role as a circumciser and embark on a journey toward advocating for the education of girls as an alternative rite of passage. Her transformation was not just personal but became a beacon of hope for her community. As her granddaughter flourished, graduating from university and achieving professional success that once seemed unimaginable, Phillis’s belief in the power of education only deepened. She witnessed firsthand the doors that education could open. “I am happy that my youngest of all granddaughters is currently at Tharaka University taking a degree in education”. Her youngest granddaughter’s pursuit of a degree in education at Tharaka University stands as a testament to the generational shift Phillis has inspired.
Phillis’s journey from a practitioner of female circumcision to a vocal advocate against it is a remarkable tale of transformation. Her willingness to speak out, following our engagements through, strengthening the movement of men and boys advocating for gender equality, she agreed to be our number one champion and a community mobilized.
Through her advocacy, Phillis Kaguna not only altered the course of her family’s history but also ignited a conversation that challenges tradition, champions education, and advocates for the rights and well-being of girls and women. At the heart of Kenya, Phillis’s story is a beacon of hope, a narrative of change, and a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.
“Mine is a story of redemption, a story of my courage to stand against a deeply entrenched custom in favour of a brighter, more empowered future for girls”, concludes Phillis