The Desert Flower Foundation Sierra Leone, is a non-profit making Organisation working on sensitive gender issues to enhance specifically girls’ empowerment and protection against forceful female genital mutilation (cutting) until they are 18 as enshrined in the Child Right Act. In 2014, Desert Flower Foundation Sierra Leone initiated the project “SAVE A LITTLE DESERT FLOWER” SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME SIERRA LEONE; and salvaged one thousand (1,000 girls) from FGM through educational support/opportunities.
The Foundation signs sponsorship contracts with the Parents of the Beneficiaries (girls). The contract guarantees the integrity of the girls who periodically checked by our paediatrician. Furthermore, the girls are to attend school and the parents have the obligation to participate in educational programmes and workshops organised by the foundation to help build the capacity and awareness of the parents. With sponsorship from the Desert Flower Foundation, the project supports the families of the beneficiaries with monthly funds to take care of their education, medical services and school materials.
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is celebrated every year on 6th February. This year, the Foundation celebrated the day in Magburaka (one of its operational areas where 105 girls are beneficiaries) with the theme: “Accelerating Investment to End FGM”. Magburaka is one of the communities prone to FGM and statistics has proven that there is huge evidence of FGM occurrence in the district. Hence, the reason for hosting this year’s celebration in the district. Because this year’s date is on a weekend, the foundation decided to celebrate the day on Monday 7th February 2022.
The celebration started with radio discussion program on SLBC 94.1 in Magburaka. The radio discussion geared towards raising awareness about the harmful effects of FGM and why parents should not forcefully initiate their children into the Bondo secret society. This was followed by a colourful celebration where the President of The Foundation Fr. Peter Konteh, Staff, stakeholders, Partners, Parents and beneficiaries where all present.
Speaking at the event, Rev. Fr. Konteh, President of the Foundation started by expressing his profound gratitude to Parents who willingly registered their children to be part of the Foundation and for maintaining and upholding the laws bidding the beneficiaries. He went further to reemphasize the harmfulness of Female Genital Mutilation and the need to eradicate the practice from our communities. He continued to say that harmful traditional practices sometimes seem impossible to change; to alter or eradicate them require the cooperation and understanding of community leaders, policy makers, and the people who have experienced and suffered from such practices. Community education is critical to increasing public awareness of the consequences of these practices and changing societal norms. That is the reason why Desert Flower Foundation conduct workshops and engage in sensitization and awareness raising drives to educate their beneficiaries and caregivers about the hazards of FGM.
He called on beneficiaries and caregivers to take responsibility of the fight against FGM. He concluded by thanking the Donors for their extraordinary support to end FGM in Sierra Leone. It’s a fight we must continue to endure until we reach our desired goal.
In her address to beneficiaries and caregivers, Madam Adama Sam, the School and Adolescent Health Focal Person for Ministry of Health and Sanitation in Tonkolili, made mention of the dangers of FGM when perpetuated on the girl child. She continued to say that FGM is mostly perpetuated against children who don’t give consent. When girls are cut, they face the immediate risk of haemorrhagic, shock ranging from serious injury to infections and even death if these situations are not well managed.
The psychological impact of FGM can be devastating and long-lasting especially on girls who mostly feel deeply betrayed by their parents who insisted they be subjected to FGM. In young children, that loss of trust and confidence can lead to behavioural problems alongside psychological pain. As girls grow up and marry, the sexual dysfunction caused by FGM may put stress on their marriages.
And over the long term, FGM can leave serious psychological scars. Girls and women who experienced it may suffer anxiety, depression, and even loss of marital homes. The practice remains a grievous injury with a host of serious short- and long-term health risks for the victim. She warned caregivers to continue on the path they have chosen for their children not be subjected to FGM. She also expressed her gratitude to Desert Flower Foundation for their unique drive to save girls from FGM in the country and especially Magburaka. She emphasized on the importance of the sponsorship drive the foundation is using to eradicate FGM and encouraged parents and beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity.
Ambassador Hassan Bangura, the President for Children’s Forum Network called on beneficiaries to be agent and champions of change and peer group educators. Beneficiaries should spread the knowledge they have gathered about the dangers of FGM to their colleagues in their respective schools and communities. He went further to say that most children enter into the bondo society through peer group influence but encourage girls to say NO to FGM as they are the direct victims.
The program ended with distribution of dignitary kits containing sanitary pads, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap and underwear to 105 girls being sponsored by the foundation in Magburaka. This was immediately followed by disbursement of monthly sponsorship funds to each beneficiary which is meant for their schooling, medical services and upkeep.