RIP Ester Naisianoi who changed the whole village

These maasai men start to realize: What are we doing to our girls??!!

As you might remember I told on Facebook about Elizabeths friend Esther, a 13-yrs young girl who died while giving birth. This is what I posted by then:

We got sad news today. Elizabeth's friend died. She was only 13 yrs old and she was giving birth to her first child. Her genitalia was mutilated when she was 9yrs and soon after she was forced to be wife for an old man. When she gave birth her body bursted because the baby couldn't get out trough her mutilated vagina. That caused her death :( In maasai community when a girl dies of the consequences of FGM she becomes taboo. Nobody even recognizes she ever lived after she is buried. But Elizabeth will not keep quiet about this issue! She already agreed to attend the funeral and make a speech that will make nobody forget this little girl! Its not without reason so many maasai girls run away. And it's not without reason we celebrate women's day today. We need to change the world and save our girls! RIP Esther Naisianoi, you little maasai girl who suffered because of so many bad practices <3

Today, as we celebrate Good Friday in rememberance of the death of Jesus Christ, we also are remembering the death of Kijolus Esther Sankale Naisianoi. Elizabeth attended the funeral in Esthers home village Sakutiek and she was invited to speak. 

Normally if a girl dies of consequenses of FGM, people will not realize what was the real reason of her death. Talking about FGM is a very serious taboo so nobody will mention anything about that and people will therefore think she just died of a random reason. But Elizabeth attended the funeral and explained all details about FGM and child marriage and how it effects the girl. The whole village was very shocked to learn about the reason that caused Esthers death. Even Esthers husband was listening. This is how Elizabeth describes his reaction:

"Yes her husband was there and he was so painful blaming himself of marrying a too young circumsiced girl."

We can't blame him. He didn't know any better. But now he does and so does all the other villagers.

"We will not repeat this mistake!"

 All people who attended understood the horrible truth and they decided to stop FGM. Even the men realized how horrible the practice of FGM is. Many times men have no idea what happens during FGM and how it effects girls and women the rest of their lives, because the life of maasai men and maasai women are so separated. Men might think FGM is similar to male circumcision and that it doesn't effect the lifes of women so much afterwards. Or they just don't think about it at all. And we can't blame them, because they really don't know what it is about. That's why we need to educate those societys!

Maasai men gathering to listen to a 20 yr old girl teaching against FGM is a really big thing!!!

Elizabeths team needs also our support. Sakutiek is far away from Elizas home village Wafoo and this time traveled by walk because she is out of money. She have to bring the runaway girls home from the boarding school soon when the vacation starts and she doesn't even have money for that. I will send her all we have, but also Bezunesh is waiting for her salary. Our fundings are based on membership fees, so if you feel you want to support this work, please consider being a member (it doesn't oblige you for anything) : http://ihmiselle.blogspot.fi/p/liity-yhdistyksen-jaseneksi-tasta.html