As part of the Women and Girls Match Fund campaign, we’re sharing the inspiring stories of women we work with to end FGM/C in their communities.
You can donate to the campaign through this link between the 10-17th October and your donations will be doubled!
Firstly, we’d like to introduce you to Sariba, she’s from The Gambia.
“I’m a feminist, an educationist, a campaigner and a community organiser… I’m also a survivor of FGM and I am passionately using my story, voice and power to demand for gender equality.”
Sariba works at The Girls’ Agenda, a women-led organisation advocating for the rights of women and girls in The Gambia. Through her work, she’s reached over 2,000 women and girls, creating a safe space for discussions around the practice.
Sariba was introduced to Orchid Project in 2022, during their regional Knowledge Sharing Workshops in collaboration with MannionDaniels and has been closely linked ever since. After the proposed repeal of the anti FGM law in the Gambia, Sariba reached out to Orchid Project.
“For the past 10-11 months, opposition emerged from certain lawmakers, backed by religious and traditional leaders. This opposition orchestrated movements to repeal the law. The threat of bringing decades of work to zero.”
Alongside Equality Now, Orchid Project supported grassroots activists like Sariba, local Gambian NGOs and networks in creating a joint statement urging the government to uphold the ban, which received over 180 signatures.
Despite the decision to uphold the ban, “there is still a lot of work to do. Without awareness, we cannot end this practice.”
We are grateful for all of the support from donors and the public, so that we can continue to work with grassroots activists like Sariba and respond to emergencies like in The Gambia. Your donations will help us to continue this fundamental work.
You can find out more about our campaign and how the Big Give works here.
