Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation - Words we should never have to speak.

Female Genital Mutilation Pastor Sell meets with elders and women of the Maasai is performed on girls at 10 years old. (Read more on FGM here.) FGM is practiced among many tribes in Kenya, including some Christians. However, our focus is with the Maasai tribe through the work of ELCK deaconesses. We are able to help young girls who wish to flee the oppression of the cut. We do our best to provide funds to move girls to another part of Kenya and then provide funding for the girls education.

What struck me was the knowledge that over 90% of the girls among the Maasai are "cut." I couldn't help thinking about that as I met with the Maasai elders and women.

Please look around this page and the general information page to learn more about FGM.

Pastor Mark Sell

"If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together..."

1 Corinthians 12:22-26

Girls Need Education

When one considers that over 90% of the women in the Maasai tribe are "cut," one realizes that to curb this practice is to change their culture.

The Maasai tribe is proud of their tradition and culture. They are traditional warriors. The men always 2 members of the Maasai Education committee

2 members of the Maasai Education committee

carry a stick that symbolizes the spear. The women wear beads.

The tribe most often dresses in the tradtiional red clothing.

The Kenyan government outlawed FGM but the Maasai still practice it. In the recent years, due to the HIV\AIDS epidemic, the tribe began to participate in the Kenyan government and culture. They accepted medicine, education for boys, and other assistance.

Friends of Mercy works with

Compassionate Social Care, operated by Pastor Dennis and Dcns. Lorna Meeker, to provide education, medicine, food, a home, and God's Word to girls who do not want to be "cut."

What is Female Genital Mutilation?

Female genital mutilation is a traditional practice of the Muslims and the Maasai. Read more... WARNING - GRAPHIC EXPLANATION Click here for general information.

The Tools of Female Genital Mutilation?

Female genital mutilation is performed most often by an elder woman of the village. The person who performs the cut will use and kind of a sharp object. Bottles of herbs and various cutting tools used to perform FGM.

Bottles of herbs and various cutting tools used to perform FGM.

When you relaize that the "cut" does not take place in any sort of a medically clean environment the need seems even greater. Nor do they cut using a seditive, anti-biotics, or any other medicine. Often they tie the girls legs together to control the bleeding and rub herbs on the cut.

Maasai Elders Donate Land to ELCK

Maasai Elders formed the Maasai Education Committee and they decided to donate 60 acres of land to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya to build the Entito Rescue and Maasai Culture Center.

Pastors Sell and Momposi speaking to the Maasai Elders on the donated land

This decision was evidence that the Maasai are continuing to move forward in their desire to work with other Kenyans and improve their lives. The Maasai Education Committee was made up of elders and, most importantly, women leaders of the tribe.

On the 60 acres of land (on the border of the Maasai Mara), the ELCK will help the Maasai tribe build a boarding school for 500 Maasai girls. The land will also provide a place for a Maasai cultural center, a medical clinic, a small compound to house visitors, and housing for teachers.

What is Female Genital Mutilation

This page was created on 04/10/2007 and last edited on: 06/12/2009