TRAINING AND INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON THE ... - Fokus

Tambasangsang kanyelengs.
Fanta went to the alkalo and the circumciser and
convinced GAMCOTRAP to come do training.
After several preliminary meetings, the community
decided at a village-wide meeting (at which they saw
the visual materials on health effects) to stop FGM.
Now they try to talk about it in other communities.
Alkalo said: “It was Fanta who brought this. She
understood something and did not keep it for herself.
She was not looking for anything for herself [she has
never received any payment from GAMCOTRAP].
Now everyone is part of the decision and we welcome you back.”
Woman: “If you identify a problem, then you have to act.”
“Fanta is very effective in this community, she is the one who can enter with the women and talk about
what used to be a secret between them and the circumciser.”
Fatou Tarawally (on the right), a school teacher from
Bansang, one of the first CBFs trained in 1997 (I
met her during her training in Basse). She has been
consistently involved with GAMCOTRAP since then
although she does not receive any salary from them.
Man and child in Bantanto. We waited as an old man
on a bicycle zoomed around the village collecting
people for a meeting. Then everyone spoke, from
elders, down to the youngest. They told of Amie
coming to hold a meeting, and how they felt when
they saw the videos about health effects.
“We can’t say about other places, but here we are not
practicing.”
“Kids are the future leaders. Anything that harms
them, development will not accept. The elders do
not want there to be darkness over the next generation.”
There was an elder circumciser here who had just passed away and her daughter had not yet taken over
because she was sick in the hospital. GAMCOTRAP happened to arrive during that time for training, so the
new circumciser never did start practicing.
“There have been big changes in this community. Today and yesterday, they are not the same.”
An older man confessed that he used to beat his wife, but that he has gained understanding and has stopped.
On the way driving out, we passed him, with his arm around her, smiling.
“She is free now,” Amie said.
44