Seated at her home in Kiamaiko, Nairobi, a mother of six who is also a community leader and member of The Kiamaiko Community Social Justice Centre, narrates her painful experience from female genital mutilation, how her life was altered since then and the moment she vowed to protect her younger generation from going through the same experience.
Rahma Wako tells Ghetto Radio News how her life changed one early morning when she was subjected to the inhuman act at just the tender age of 13 years.
Almost hitting her 60s, she shares the life long damages that she has had to live with.
“FGM hapa kwetu ilikuwa rampant sana hapo awali miaka zetu. To be honest the memories of the traumatic experience still haunt me. When someone mentions the word FGM, it still shatters me.” Rahama as she wears a frown on her face.
From her experience, Rahma decided that enough was enough and that it was time to liberate her community from the outdated cultural practice. She mentions that none of her 6 daughters and nine granddaughters have undergone the cut.
“Baada ya kupitia hio mambo ya FGM nilijaribu kupaza sauti yangu kuweza kuzuia wale wenzangu wadogo wenye wako nyuma yangu wasije wakapitie ile hali ambayo mimi nilipitia hapo awali.Katika familia yangu mimi nilikataa kabisa mambo ya FGM. Niko na wasichana sita na wajukuu tisa ambao ni wa kike na hakuna hata mmoja wao amefanyiwa hio FGM.”
She has obviously not missed questions from some of her community members who wonder why she is against an act that has been part of their culture for ages and why she has put a devoted fight against FGM.
