Help us raise £8,800 to educate against FGM

Despite being outlawed in the UK for over 20 years, Female Genital Mutilation is an abuse that is still performed on children and estimates show there could be 60,000 girls at risk of FGM living in the UK.

At Education Not Mutilate (ENM) we are working hard to stop this practice by spreading awareness and providing training in schools and among the people who can identify it and stop it – safeguarding professionals.

The 6th February 2023 is our first anniversary and the United Nation’s inaugural international day of zero tolerance for female genital mutilation. Our work contributes to the ending of FGM through education workshops and we are marking these two significant events by asking our supporters to help us raise £8,800 to further our important work.

During our first year, we have taught over 6,500 people through 78 workshops – a huge accomplishment for our fledgling organisation. This includes providing training to over 1,000 professionals whose job it is to keep children safe.

Many of our attendees say they feel more informed about and confident about FGM in an appropriate way. On completing a workshop, one professional said:

"Rather than the usual ice breakers / statistics / exercises and being talked ‘at’ which unfortunately is too often the case at training events, it was delivered by a ‘real’ person with actual experience of the subject in an emotional, thought provoking and powerful way. She also had a brilliant sense of humour and was very empowering. I could have listened to her all day. To be able to open up on such a personal level about her own traumas and being able to use her experiences to bring such positive change and education to others is an amazing achievement. Hibo Wardere is a truly inspirational woman.

"This will stay with me for a long time to come on a personal level and also as a professional giving me an insight on how to identify and support survivors / those at risk of FGM."

Following an impactful first year, we plan to become a registered charity, our name will be Educate Not Mutilate CIO, and we hope to:

- Take ENM on the road and visit cities outside of London to continue our awareness raising and safeguarding workshops

- Improve care for pregnant women who have had FGM by continuing to train midwives

- Develop resources and materials to reach those who cannot attend our workshops

We have been awarded £8,800 by the National Lottery Fund to continue running our workshops and we’d like YOU to help us match this amount to help us achieve our second year goals.

We can’t achieve any of this without your help and support!

Please DONATE NOW to help us continue this vital work.

About Educate Not Mutilate

Hibo Wardere, Education Lead

Hibo is a well-respected and established voice in this area. Hibo has helped reform the public health approach to FGM by working closely with the, then, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Jane Ellison, to develop the first health centre specifically for women who have experienced FGM. The Government has opened eight more specialist services based on the Lotus centre in Whipps Cross hospital - Hibo’s role in the shaping and development of these services was crucial and this work continues today.

Faiza Mughal, Operations Manager

Faiza ran her family business for 19 years and is an expert administrator. She met Hibo while volunteering and they have been inseparable ever since. A close friend, supporter and sister to Hibo, Faiza has been instrumental in the start-up success of ENM.

ENM is committed to:

Promoting the human rights of women and girls to live free from violence with education where women have full autonomy over their bodies and are not subject to violence and mutilation.

Focusing on how gender-based violence affects women’s health and what can be done to prevent it.

To create awareness of female genital mutilation, breast ironing and other forms of gender-based violence against women and their impact on women’s health through education, training, awareness raising and partnerships.

Please DONATE NOW to support our vital work!

Contact Us Here

Note:

FGM is illegal in the UK. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, civil and criminal legislation on FGM is contained in the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”). In Scotland, FGM legislation is contained in the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005. The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 was amended by sections 70-75 of the Serious Crime Act 2015. (Source: gov.uk FGM resource pack)