10 October 2014
Hitting FGM for six!
For the International Day of the Girl Child 2014, 28 Too Many and Cricket Without Boundaries (CWB) are pleased to announce a ground breaking project in Kenya using sport to bring communities together, empower girls and encourage the abandonment of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Research conducted by 28 Too Many on FGM in Kenya shows that over recent years there has been good progress in reducing female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country but amongst Maasai communities prevalence remains very high and an estimated 73% of girls will undergo FGM. However, some members of the community are standing against this harmful practice and 28 Too Many and CWB are pleased to be partnering with the Maasai Cricket Warriors to support local efforts to end FGM.
In February 2015 a specialist team of volunteers will travel to Kenya to deliver FGM training as part of CWB’s innovative cricket development programme which is dedicated to helping, educating and developing local communities around the world through the spread and growth of cricket. The team will be training local teachers and health workers on FGM, including how to identify and protect those at risk as well as how to support those who have been cut. In addition the programme develops young leaders so that they can become accredited cricket coaches and continue to use sport to promote female empowerment and enable young people to take action against gender based violence, including FGM.
“FGM is a deep rooted, traditional practice but attitudes towards it are beginning to change in the Maasai people,” explains Dr Ann-Marie Wilson, Executive Director, 28 Too Many. “We are very excited by this project with CWB and the Maasai Cricket Warriors, which will bring people together through sport, educate all members of the community on FGM and empower young people to be the generation that ends FGM.”
David Murray, CEO at Cricket Without Boundaries added “By bringing the research expertise and insight of 28 Too Many to our ongoing sport for development work in Kenya, we believe we can jointly add more ‘power to the elbows’ of those community members who are already advocating an end to FGM.”
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates on the project over the coming months, and if you would like to donate to support this project or have any queries please contact Louise Robertson (louise.robertson54@gmail.com) or Hannah Weaver (hannah@cricketwithoutboundaries.com).