Success Stories

The case studies, collected by NAFIS revealed mainly of  medical complications, including:  infection, severe bleeding during the procedure and later during deinfibulation, irregular menstrual cycles, abdominal pain, and complications during childbirth and inability to urinate. And through women accessing the FGM support center in Somaliland can change the attitudes toward FGM,

“Hamda, A 39 year old mother of 8 children and living with disability is totally against circumcision because of her horrible experiences. Hamda wasn’t just mutilated once, but twice due to her damaging the wound, the first time when she fell down. She was still nursing her wounds when vaginal cyst developed.

Hamda felt shame and reluctant to sick medical due to exposure of her condition. She found out about NAFIS support centers and arranged to meet a social worker.  She said “the worker were kind and provided her with counseling and medical support”.  She also said she got accessed to health education and emotional support.  After her training on harmful effects of FGM practices she aims is to raise awareness in her community and share her experience.“

During the community outreach organized by NAFIS Social workers, one of the mothers shared her experience;

“When she was five year old girl, she undergone FGM/C twice, the first time there was no vaginal opening at all, and she could not urinate for several days. Then her mother called the circumcisor again, when she came with her tools, put it in fire and when it was hot enough she used it to open a very small part so the urine can pass out. Later on, when she girl started having period, she feels a lot of pain. She used to spend two weeks with painful periods every month. Through her suffering, so she decided not to undertake her daughters to FGM/C because of my horrible experience.”