Sheh Mohammed Abdrakip

... is a respected religious leader, father of 23 children in Nebar Komishga village in Abrahamo Woreda, has been serving his community as a community conversation facilitator along with five other influential people. He is challenging the status quo, in which HTP are improperly blended with religious teachings. FGM was incorrectly regarded as "tahara" by the community, which is Arabic for the system of ritual purity in Islam.

The second myth was that women who were not circumcised were more likely to damage household equipment. He recalls that 'the Ethiopian Red Cross introduced us to the concept at the time, which was absurd.  But we've been educated to wonder if those harmful practices are truly the ones that are in line with our religious obligations.”

‘Other Islamic adherents began to lose faith in me as a religious authority, and I recall that the first three conversations resembled a heated brawl. Our holy Quran is the sole source I have for proof, and we are here to safeguard my people from bad customs. More significantly, we now understand how early marriage and FGM, which we have both engaged in without any congenital justification, impact the health of girls. We are grateful to the Red Cross and the donor for bringing us to light. I am now taking pleasure in my community's meekness as a religious leader.”

To improve the situation Sheh Mohammed Abdrakip includes this issue in his Friday prayers services. In addition, he is organizing a community discussion where arranged subjects are presented through a logical flow of modules, with 60 participants, split into teams of 5 plus one person of the community dialogue. To increase the success of the project, the people who have carried out such measures are also included in the discussions.

Hawa Mohammed

Most parts of Ethiopia's Benishangul-Gumz region, including the small village where Hawa lives, are vulnerable to harming traditional practices like female genital mutilation (FGM), early marriage, and unfair work for women. ‘I was a victim of all’, Hawa said. She recalls that she was unable to eat together with her spouse, let alone sit together.

‘I'm grateful to the Red Cross for pointing up my error. I raised my 10-year-old daughter properly, and she has undergone a total transformation. In order to put her to the test, I occasionally remark’, "Please get ready; we will prepare a celebration for you for circumcision, and please show me pride by engaging with a known person." Her response is succinct: "I'll call the police; I'm too young to get married and too young to start a family."

‘This has always been my motivation, and owing to the project, the tide has turned; females who are not circumcised are now more proud than those who are’. She particularly valued the support for menstrual hygiene management offered to schoolgirls and their interaction with teachers and health extension workers.

She finally remarked, ‘My recommendation to the Red Cross is to immediately reach the unreached areas; I am convinced that we as a community won't reverse course after this because we are already firmly established.’