By Maimuna Sey-Jawo
‘Nyaboute’ (Family) Foundation, over the weekend organised a training to discuss effects of FGM/C.
Staged at the Nehemia Nursery School in Brufut, Kombo North, the training brought together residents of the area and other stakeholders to confer about the harmful effects of the age-old traditional practice.
The training was funded by the MMK Gambia Friendship Association and A34 NGO from Finland, and it was the third of its kind.
The charity was registered in 2017 to promote education of women and girls through social discussions on the deeply-rooted cultural traditional practices.
Ousman Baldeh, acting secretary of Nyaboute, said the training was meant to sensitise parents of pupils of Nehemia Nursey School on the effects of FGM.
The vice president of Nyaboute Foundation, Isatou B Jallow, said FGM/C is a cultural practice that poses lots of challenges and complications to women of the reproductive age group.
“FGM is highly traumatic and can have detrimental consequences on the physical and emotional health and development of girls and women and some cases lead to death,” she asserted.
Madam Maija Leena Turkkinen, from the MMK Finland Gambia Friendship Association and a volunteer for Nyaboute Foundation, said her charity is has supported families who could not afford their children’s education.
“We registered and started operations in The Gambia in 2008 and currently, we have two nursery schools – one in Brufut and the other one Busumbala.”
She urged mothers to “stop taking their children to undergo the harmful cultural practices,” which she said has serious health implications on adolescents.
Participants were asked questions at the end of presentations and were awarded prizes for taking part.
