Girls mobilize to end Female Genital Mutilations

On April 8th, 2026 Afama Mino Primary School (Wolayita, Southern Ethiopia), hosted a Girls’ Day Event to sensitize communities about Female Genitale Mutilations (FGM) and advocate for the end of this harmful practice.

During day various sessions were held, including health education, distribution of educational and informational materials, an open Question and Answer time, witnesses of adolescent gils, students artistic performances, and the distribution of sanitary and scholastic materials.

Alemtsehay Leulseged,

the school Project Focal person, provided Health Education focusing on Female Genital

Mutilation and Menstrual Hygiene Management.

Students Bezawit Belete, Asnakech Mareno and Mihret Daya, bravely shared stories about the

consequences of FGM and early marriage through poems in local, national

and international languages.

Students Tanash Gezume and Kebebush Wegaso animated the Q&A session on FGM.

More than 230 people joined the event, including 176 5th and 6th graders, their families, teachers and other members of the school community.

The event is part of an ongoing program aimed at improving the health of adolescent girls and young women in Afama Mino. For two years St. Mary Primary Hospital Outreach Team has been visiting Afama Mino Primary School to animate health education, engage girls in health clubs, and help teachers in providing support to their students so as to reduce school dropout because of poor menstrual health management.

Parents and the school management appreciated the project for outstanding contributions to Afama Mino Community and pledged to keep girls in school and work towards ending FGM.

The program is implemented thanks to the generous support of Missio Austria.