The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in close collaboration with the Ngorongoro District Council and the Council of Masaai traditional leaders, will conduct a large campaign to intensify efforts to address Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Ngorongoro.
The campaign will be conducted during the FGM high season of June 2017 when girls go home from school and parents take the opportunity to circumcise them.
According to a statement, the campaign will consist of three clusters including a School-Based Campaign, targeting students, teachers, and school-parent committees in 28 schools (4 secondary);a Community-Based campaign, targeting mostly parents and caretakers in 29 selected villages in Loliondo division through parent or caretakers village or sub-village sensitization meetings.
Further consist of a Public Campaign through the Loliondo FM Community Radio where a series of programmes will be broadcasted engaging community leaders, law enforcers, medical officials, religious leaders, former ngaribas (circumcisers) and young people.
The campaign, which is expected to reach around 70,000 people, kicked off with a 2-day orientation workshop in Wasso today. The workshop brings together 65 campaigners and facilitators composed by district and ward officials, Maasai spiritual and Maasai leaders to guide them on how best to deliver key messages to the targeted population as well as organize for sheltering girls in need.