Category: 0811

Written by A.M. Peabody in conjunction with her 501 c3 – Global Woman® PEACE Foundation – ‘When the Games Froze’ fuses American Football, Christianity and female genital mutilation into a blistering exposé’ of the abuse thousands of young girls face daily. By sharing her story with those in North America, Peabody aims to garner support and resources to make genital mutilation a thing of the past.

 

While it may appear to be inconceivable to millions of North Americans who live in relative peace, over eight thousand young women are forced to endure life-threatening genital mutilation on a daily basis. Through an insightful and compelling new novel, author and humanitarian A.M. Peabody is helping readers from coast to coast recognize and fight against this deplorable practice.

‘When the Games Froze’ combines American Football, Christianity and fate to tell a heartfelt story of one woman who plans to change the world.

Synopsis:

Nana Nkuku is a driven woman living in the United States, working at a travel agency in D.C. Though many hardworking 20-somethings would be interested in nonprofit jobs, Nana has started an organization that she needs to see through to its turning point. Why? Because deep in Nana’s heart is a calling to do what she can for young girls in her native Ghana who are suffering the tragedy of female circumcisions just like she did when she was their age. She’s left the haunted places of her past and the trauma of that violation behind her, but she still has to face the challenge of changing the future.

Thankfully she has a wonderful circle of friends that includes Frank, a rising star. When he switches from the football schedule to the non-profit circuit, will things finally fall in place? Read When the Games Froze now to know how it all turns out.

As the author explains, the book forms just one part of an on-going and growing campaign to end gender-based abuse around the world.

“The book was written to bluntly highlight the reality of female circumcision in a way that relates to people in the West. Naturally, they live a life that is a million miles away from the young girls in West Africa, for example. Therefore, I hope to garner life-long support and donations from readers across the country. Just like the story, we can all come together by fate with a destiny to help others” says Peabody, President of Global Woman® PEACE Foundation and also the first Liberian native to publish a full-length novel.

Continuing, “Our organization is also working tirelessly to build an educational boarding center for girls in Liberia, West Africa. All proceeds from the book will go directly to support this mission and give girls a start in life that leads them away from abuse into a life where they have control. We can get there, but we require people from across the country to support us. The book is the perfect starting point and I advise both men and women to get their copies as soon as possible.”

This story was originally published by CNN. Because it is the summer, we thought to run it.

Summer days: They’re what childhood memories are made of, glorious afternoons of unchecked freedom to frolic with friends in the sun, unshackled from the earthly obligations of a math class that never seemed further away.

But for millions of schoolgirls in Egypt, this time of year represents something much darker: the start of the female genital mutilation (FGM) season.

Mona Mohamed was 10 years old when she underwent what’s also known as a female circumcision on a hot summer day in her village in Upper Egypt. “I was terrified,” she said. “They tied me down, my mother on one hand and my grandmother on the other.” As Mona thrashed around, pinned by her loved ones to the living room floor, a doctor injected her with anesthesia.

Mona remembers being given a piece of bubble gum to chew on before she finally passed out. It wasn’t until she woke up that she realized she had been mutilated.

Stories like Mona’s are far from rare in Egypt, where FGM has been a brutal rite of passage for young girls since the time of the pharaohs.

Of the more than 125 million girls and women alive today who have undergone the procedure, one in four lives in Egypt. That’s more than any other country in the world, according to the U.N.

Ninety-two percent of married Egyptian women aged 15 to 49 have been subjected to FGM, according to a government report released in May. That figure is down from 97% in 2000, but the practice is still the norm there.

Most girls are cut between the ages of nine and 12, and the operations usually take place during the summer school break so the girls can recover at home.

U.N. officials say FGM has no medical benefits and can cause lifelong physical and emotional trauma for the women forced to undergo the procedure.

“This is a gross human rights violation,” Jaime Nadal-Roig, the U.N. Population Fund representative in Cairo, told CNN. “It doesn’t add anything to the life of the girl, and there are no medical or religious grounds whatsoever.”

The most common FGM procedure in Egypt is Type 1, the partial or full removal of the clitoris. It’s what Mona Mohamed — and her older sisters — endured years ago.

Compared to her sisters, Mona was lucky, given that her procedure was performed by a doctor. Her sisters were circumcised with a razor blade by a traditional (non-medical) midwife who put dust on their wounds to stop the bleeding.

Mona, now 47, recalls asking her mother why getting circumcised was so important. “Usually girls at your age get ‘excited,’ and this operation takes care of that,” her mother replied.

FGM has been illegal in Egypt since 2008, but the practice remains woven into the very fabric of Egyptian society, where many see cutting as a way to “purify” a girl and make her marriage material.

“People used to have a party after a girl was circumcised, they’d celebrate and exchange gifts,” Nadal-Roig said. “So for them to turn from there and say, ‘look this is a crime or this is a sin or this is not allowed by religion’ means confronting a lot of beliefs and social norms.”

End FGM Socials are already taking off. Several inquiries have come in since the story in last week’s newsletter. We appreciate your inquiries and interest in hosting End FGM Socials. Please do not hesitate to visit our website and download the form and Hosting Guidelines. We are excited about this new wave of the campaign to end FGM. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at your very own End FGM Social.

To be a host of an End FGM Social, contact us at info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org or call 703.818.3787 or you may visit our website at www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.

The first FGM Camp for children will be held this Saturday, August 15^th in Maryland. The first of its kind, the camp is hosted by the Inter-African Committee USA (IAC-USA). The mother organization of IAC-USA is located in Geneva, Switzerland. The President of IAC-USA stated, “Facts have proven that during summer time or when school is closed, most of the harmful practices take place. This summer, to further educate our children about harmful practices, IAC- USA is organizing a one day summer camp, “Vacances Sans Excision”” 

We are only 80 days away from October 31st when we will once again assemble on the Washington National Mall to Walk to End FGM! We have great exciting plans for this year’s walk-a-thon so get in on the fun and register to ensure that your t-shirt and grab bag are secured. Take advantage of the current rate before it increases closer to the date.

• Register as a walker
• Form a team and invite others to join your team
• Join a team that has already been formed
• Register as a volunteer
• Make a donation (if you are unable to attend)
• Sponsor a team or an individual walker (contact us for sponsorship packages)
• Purchase a Sponsor Display Table (contact us for details)

Visit www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org and make your choice from the options!

We look forward to seeing you there! All proceeds from the walk-a-thon will benefit the Global Woman Center, which helps FGM survivors have their restorative surgeries. Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. As such, your contributions are tax deductible to the maximum extent required by law.