Cementing Behavioral Change : Celebrity partnership

Going into something as a skeptic isn’t always a bad thing as long as you keep an open mind. It leaves room for improvement, room to be convinced. Going into the Sister Fa tour on female genital mutilation (FGM) in the south of Senegal I was skeptical. What could she achieve in these few days? How does this benefit the children? Many arguments were raised in interactions with some communities and experts before the tour began. Some said it was completely ineffective, while other said it was a good way to keep the issue on the minds of people. The most compelling statement came from human rights expert, Amadou Sow, “this can only be successful if the proper sensitization has already been done in the communities she visits. That’s the only way her message won’t be met with opposition and will be accepted by the communities.” With his comments in mind I knew what I needed to be convinced.

 “I will not let my daughters be circumcised because it’s harmful to their health.”

In a few short minutes in a room with Sister Fa, engaging and talking to the children, my questions were answered. Female genital mutilation is a tough subject to breach with adults, much less children, yet she was able to make all the children feel at ease with the subject. Little by little, it went from nods and hums to girls raising their hands to answer questions about FGM, then the boys got involved as well. As the session went on their answers got longer and more personal. “I will not let my daughters be circumcised because it’s harmful to their health,” said one little girl. Nods of agreement were all but unanimous all over the room. It was clear, the ground work Mr. Sow spoke about was in place and the resulting acceptance and reinforcement through Sister Fa was evident for all to see. These children and their communities, through World Vision Senegal, were aware of the harmful effects of the practice and Sister Fa was hammering home the change.

Then it hit me, this was what the Sister Fa tour is all about, this is what can be achieved. Children could be bold and empowered to share their opinions free from fear and intimidation. It was a chance for what they had learned for the “big World Vision” to be reinforced and personalized by someone they look up to. It was a forum for children to say what they believed and talk about the future they want to build for themselves and their families.

At the end of the day I became a believer, not in what the Sister Fa tour could do by itself but rather what World Vision and Sister Fa could do together. Together we could raise the issue of FGM, sensitizing communities and villages about the need to move away from the harmful practice but also to push the agenda on an institutional level, engaging governments and partners to do more to end this practice. Together we could remove another obstacle to life in all its fullness for every child.