Can you see yourself working in a local community in Sierra Leone? ________________________________________________________
Voluntary work against female mutilation in Masanga, Sierra Leone
Introduction to MEA (Masanga Education Assistance) MEA is an humanitarian organization founded in Switzerland who works against female genitale mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone. The reason for fighting against FGM is that the surgical procedure might contribute to severe clinical complications that follow the girls and women during their whole lives. The issue of excision in Sierra Leone is a difficult one especially because excision is the entry point to the “Bondo Society”, to which most women belong and obtain a certain social status. Excision is the initiation ritual to enter the clan. Fighting against it without offering an alternative is not realistic. With the support of the local community and the former Chief’s excision woman, MEA has organized Bondo cermonies without FGM, but where the girls still obtain the social status of the society. To get the locals involved in the program, MEA offers educational assistance to the girls who choose to enter the society without FGM. MEA has its own nursery school for 64 children and continues the support when the children goes to primary school. The program has exsisted for five years and in the meantime 270 girls have been enrolled and saved from the complications that FGM might provoke. Allthough this is only one small step towards the total elimination, MEA will continue to expand the program and advocate against FGM.
Vision
Our vision is to spread the FGM program in Tonkolilli district and to all of Sierra Leone. We will continue our work with the Bondo Society and we aim to organize 2‐4 bondo ceremonies without FGM in Masanga and the surrounding villages every year. Furthermore we want to expand the program and support and organize bondo ceremonies without FGM in all of Sierra Leone.