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Mabally Kuta (a Mandinka/Jahanka community). This is the kind of milling machine that so many communities are requesting. We interviewed the husband of the former circumciser (she was out in her rice field) and he said that she has stopped and that he supports her 100% in her decision. “She did listen. Since last year it is like this: when people [from other communities, primarily from across the border in Senegal where the practice is illegal] she sends them away.” Or, if she is on the farm, he himself sends them away. I asked if he knows what they do next but he said he neither knows nor cares. I asked him if he is surprised that this change has come so rapidly and he exclaimed: “Actually, I am!” He did not think he would see the end of FGM in this community in his lifetime. What exactly, I asked, was it that convinced people, and he replied: “Seeing the images of health effects.” Mabally Kuta, kids using the milling machine to make groundnut butter. Amie and Fatou Tarawally. 46
Jainaba, the circumciser from Mabally Kuta. After we left the meeting with her husband we ran into her on the road where she was walking from her rice field. She reiterated that she has stopped practicing and that she sends people away if they ask. But she also very strongly expressed that she felt that, like other circumcisers, she should be allowed to participate in a Handing over the Knives ceremony, and that she wants access to AEOs. Amie spoke with her very frankly about how the current funding is finished and there won’t be another ceremony unless they find more support, and how the AEO money was not part of this project budget but drawn from other sources here and there. She was very careful not to make big promises, but asked Jainaba to be patient. Jainaba listened and stressed that, no matter what, she is not going to start cuttign again because the decision has been made. But she wants to be part of the next ceremony. Bansang, meeting in the compound of the alkalo (whose mother used to be the circumciser). He said: “All is quiet here. We are keeping an ear out [for people practicing FGM].” Woman’s leader said: “What we are looking for is health. Especially for the children. That is why we are behind GAMCOTRAP.” Former alkalo (on the left) explained that this has been going on for three years and that “there has been more of a benefit than I expected.” One woman looked at Amie and said: “Amie, they used to insult you when you were talking on the radio. But now they are fully stopping. This practice is dying a natural death.” One very old woman jumped up from her seat and said “I can’t sit down when I talk about this!” She expressed how happy she is about the program. “Everyone is happy about this, but I am the most happy. Just like a driver has an apprentice, we have learned from GAMCOTRAP.” Bansang, meeting with women’s leaders. There were some tense moments here which Amie and I discussed later in the car. One of the women said that she had also been approached by BAFROW who had promised to give cell phones to all community outreach people. Amie said: “We don’t have a program that gives out mobiles.” She was very direct in saying that “this is not a competition between groups. If you want to work with BAFROW, please do so. Ultimately we are all working for the same thing.” 47
Page 1: Gambia Committee on Traditional Pra
Page 4 and 5: Acronymes AEO AIDS CBF CBO CPA CRR
Page 6 and 7: evaluation found that all the secon
Page 8 and 9: findings were discussed, along with
Page 10 and 11: the Situation of Women and Children
Page 12 and 13: concern for women’s sexuality. A
Page 14 and 15: In the absence of anti-FGM legislat
Page 16 and 17: appropriate strategy to specific co
Page 18 and 19: effective public speakers with flue
Page 20 and 21: to upgrade their skills and awarene
Page 22 and 23: he could instead sit down and discu
Page 24 and 25: of practising FGM, especially in th
Page 26 and 27: while calling for improved dialogue
Page 28 and 29: The specific goal of this project w
Page 30 and 31: Participatory observation of projec
Page 32 and 33: 14. [December 3] Meeting in Mansaya
Page 34 and 35: 46. [December 7] Interview with Ami
Page 36 and 37: After the group meeting in Mannekun
Page 38 and 39: The Gambia River between Basse and
Page 40 and 41: Makka Masireh meeting in alkalo’s
Page 42 and 43: Suduwol meeting, young former circu
Page 44 and 45: Tambasangsang kanyelengs. Fanta wen
Page 48 and 49: Kerewan Samba Sirreh in the
Page 50 and 51: February 24-26, 2009: Dissemination
Page 52 and 53: Appendix 4 Activities completed fro
Page 54 and 55: Appendix 6: Contributions from othe

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