Marsabit First Lady Alamitu Guyo leads campaign against detrimental cultural practices

More than 200 girls in Moyale, Marsabit County, were empowered and trained on the dangers of female genital mutilation (FGM), drug and substance abuse, menstrual hygiene, and child rights. The program, initiated by the Marsabit County first lady, Alamitu Guyo, in collaboration with the Mama Guyo Foundation, has empowered over 2,200 girls since 2019.

During the event, Alamitu Guyo highlighted the prevalence of outdated cultural practices, particularly FGM, in pastoralist communities, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to eradicate them. She noted that FGM was deeply rooted in Marsabit County, affecting a large population of girls, with 99 per cent having undergone the practice, many of whom are under 5 years old.

Alamitu stressed the importance of empowering girls with adequate knowledge about the harmful practice and its health implications. She encouraged the girls to use the training to network with others and actively combat the retrogressive cultural practice. Boys were not left out of the campaign, as a similar program was launched to empower them.

"The Talanta Mashinani program for boys in Sololo, Obbu, and Uran wards equips them with the importance of holistic community development," said Alamitu. The program for boys focuses on educating them about the effects of early marriage, mental health, and drug abuse.

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Kabale Tache, the CEO for the National Lands Commission, who also attended the event, urged the girls to be change agents against harmful practices. She emphasized that boys should abstain from harmful drug and substances that could be detrimental to their success in life.