Rebecca Seidhu

Becky is a young woman from Binduri village who made a very personal but public stand against female genital mutilation and domestic violence.  African Initiatives built on this courage by supporting her raising community awareness of FGM, educating people about the consequences; reproductive health, HIV/AIDs, giving birth, girls leaving school and pain during farming work.  She spoke with women, traditional leaders, traditional birth attendants, teachers and local organisations.  Working in a local organisation, The Community Self-Reliance Centre (one of African Initiatives’ partners), we supported her with training, advice, a small salary and a motorbike.  Becky also worked on environment and sustainable agriculture in the community which increased her standing amongst men, provided direct support to women farmers and started addressing the lack of access rights for women to productive farming resources.  She is now using the same approach on domestic violence and African Initiatives is supporting her participation in a local, emerging domestic violence network.

“It took continued education in the community and schools about the dangers of FGM. I could see some women were seriously affected. We didn’t preach, preach, preach. It is important we work in the culture and get the support of traditional leaders. Sometimes these women have a special power.”             
Rebecca Seidhu, Community Women’s Rights Worker