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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.”

‘When the Games Froze’ is available now at the following stores:

 

To find out more about the tireless work of Global Woman® PEACE Foundation, visit: https://globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.

If you are a survivor of female genital mutilation, or you think you or someone you know face the risk of undergoing the procedure, help is available at the Global Woman Center.  We have two locations from which to choose.  In Virginia, we are located at 901 South Highland Street, Suite 319, Arlington, Virginia 22204 and in Washington we are at 3920 Alton Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20016.  The hours of operation at the Arlington location are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00am until 3:00pm for appointments and at the Washington, D.C. location, only Wednesday and Saturday 10:00am until 12:30pm.  All appointments and information are held confidential.  Contact us for an appointment by visiting the website at www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org or calling 703-818-3787.

Coming Soon in September…

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation’s own Dr. Chelsia Bhatti will launch her medical blog!  In our efforts to help educate the general public on the practice of female genital mutilation, we will have a blog on our website for the first time.  It is Dr. Bhatti’s hope that her medical knowledge will help shed light on the practice of FGM, and empower women and girls through her educational blog.

Dr. Chelsia Bhatti is a native of Vancouver, Canada. She graduated as a physician from Kasturba Medical College in India, and has made her home in the United States where she continues her medical career. Dr. Bhatti holds a special interest in the welfare and advocacy of women and children. She is currently the Medical Advisor and Secretary of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation Board of Directors.  She believes in utilizing her skills to bring awareness to gender based violence and most importantly bring education and empowerment to women.

We will provide you will additional information on the launch date of the blog in next week’s edition!

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is asking you to support our cause and petition by signing the petition below.  We have set a goal to collect at least 200,000 signatures; we will continue this petition until we have reached that goal.  Once we have reached our goal, we will take our petition with the signatures to the U.S. Department of Education.  Our request is to have them include one lesson in their curriculum on female genital mutilation (FGM) in the elementary and middle schools.

The organization believes that the surest way to ending the practice of FGM is through education. The younger the children become aware of the practice; the more likely thousands of girls in the U.S. can be spared from undergoing female genital mutilation.

Female genital mutilation is often thought to happen only in foreign countries or to foreigners – but FGM is a problem in the United States and affects young American girls throughout the country. Statistics show that FGM is on the rise and the number of girls and women at risk has more than doubled in the past years.  A CDC report estimates that there are approximately 513,000 girls and women living with the consequences of FGM or are at risk of it being done to them in the United States.

Female genital mutilation is described by the World Health Organization as all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It impacts more than 125 million girls and women worldwide, including right here in the US.

The most impacted states are Minnesota, California, New York, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and the Washington State.  Won’t you tell the little girls that you care what happens to them by signing this petition?  Thank you.

To sign the petition, please click the link below and watch the video:

https://www.change.org/p/us-department-of-education-include-one-lesson-on-female-genital-mutilation-in-us-elementary-schools

With 8 weeks away from the Walk to End FGM, Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is putting a slightly different twist to their biggest event of the year.  The excitement continues to build as we approach October 31^st.

October 31^st is Halloween Day, and it is the day we received permission from the U.S. National Park Service to hold our second annual Walk to End FGM.  We want to be accommodating to some of our participants in the walk-a-thon so we will allow participants to add a twist of Halloween to their outfits.  We only ask that if you plan on including the Halloween twist to your outfit, please ensure that our Walk to End FGM t-shirt is visible and your face is not covered for safety and identification reasons.

In addition to the Halloween twist, we will be honoring the survivors of female genital mutilation.  We will offer a different color t-shirt to all survivors, and they will be given front row seating during the program.  We are also offering a discount on their registration fee, if they are survivors of FGM.  Please indicate on the form as you complete it to obtain the discount as well as your special color t-shirt.

• Register as a walker
• Register as a survivor
• 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 above.  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 proper OB-GYN healthcare, including restorative surgery.  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. 

Although the temperature does not feel like summer is making its exit, September has arrived and the children are returning to school.  The families have made their way back from vacation trips, and in the U.S., we are looking forward to the final weekend of barbecues, grills, picnics, weddings and parties.  September is also the month of the return of America’s most popular sport season; football.  Here at Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation we look forward to the excitement the fall (autumn) brings to the organization.  We have a few things to share with you this week, so sit back, relax and find out what is new at Global Woman P.E.A.C.E.

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.”

‘When the Games Froze’ is available now at the following stores:

 

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To find out more about the tireless work of Global Woman® PEACE Foundation, visit: https://globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.

Last Saturday, August 22, 2015 Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation opened its Arlington location of the Global Woman Center. The Northern Virginia center is located at 901 South Highland Street, Suite 319 in Arlington, Virginia 22204, a block away from Columbia Pike.

Speaking at the opening of the center were the President of Inter-Africa Committee (IAC-USA), Mrs. Fatoumata Kande-Kouyate and the Program Support Officer of IEDA Relief, Ms. Melissa Deloera. Mrs. Kouyate told those in attendance the sad story of a baby girl that was taken from the U.S. to Guinea, and without her mother’s knowledge, the mother’s relatives performed female genital mutilation on the baby girl. As a result of FGM, the baby died before returning to the U.S. It was the baby of an American father and a Guinean mother. Mrs. Kouyate called for everyone to work together to help eradicate FGM.

Melissa Deloera explained the work that her organization does in parts of Africa. She said that IEDA Relief is excited to partner and collaborate with Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation. Melissa led the group in a jeopardy-style game to test the knowledge of those in attendance on female genital mutilation. Even the children in the room joined in on the game, and turned a grim topic into an afternoon of educational fun.

Also in attendance was Dr. Chari V. Smith of the Novant Health Prince William County OB-GYN Center. Dr. Smith has agreed to join the network of OB-GYNs to whom the Global Woman Center will refer FGM survivors. Dr. Smith has expressed interest in training to perform the restorative surgeries on the survivors.

The Global Woman Center offers support for survivors and at-risk girls of female genital mutilation (FGM). The center creates a place where women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) can feel at ease and share their experiences and stories with each other. They have the choice of one-on-one counseling or group counseling.

The Global Woman Center is now open to receive candidates at both of its locations. The hours of operation at the Arlington location are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00am until 3:00pm for appointments and at the Washington, D.C. location, only Wednesday and Saturday 10:00am until 12:30pm. All appointments and information are held confidential. Contact us for an appointment by visiting the website at www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org or calling 703-818-3787.

It is now only 9 weeks from our Walk to End FGM on October 31^st! Yes, the countdown continues each week until the eve of the walk on October 30^th.

• 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 above. 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 and have proper OB-GYN check-ups. 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.

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation has launched a special campaign petition on Change.org to the U.S. Department of Education. The organization which advocates on behalf of women and girls against female genital mutilation has set a goal to collect at least 200,000 signatures; this is in its plight to get the U.S. Department of Education to include at least one lesson in its curriculum on female genital mutilation (FGM) in the elementary and middle schools.

The organization believes that educating the children from an early age, most especially the popular age range of seven through thirteen about the practice of FGM is crucial. The sooner the children are aware of the practice, the more likely thousands of girls in the U.S. can be spared from undergoing female genital mutilation.

“It is our hope that people will sign this petition as they receive the request for signatures,” said a Board member of the organization. “We are optimistic that the Department of Education will consider our request, especially when they see how many people are in favor of the education angle of ending this practice.”

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation named Ms. Mariam Bojang earlier this year as its spokes- person on female genital mutilation. Mariam, a Gambian native recently completed her undergraduate studies at a university in Tyler, Texas. Having undergone FGM at an early age, she is now an activist against the practice of it. She will be entering graduate school in the fall, and aspires to pursue an International Law Degree in the future. Mariam is the face people will see on the petition on Change.org, as she appeals to the public to sign the petition.

To watch and listen to the video with Mariam and read the petition, please click the link below and take the time to sign before you leave the page.

US Department of Education: Include one lesson on female genital mutilation in US elementary schools

By signing this petition, you are making your voice heard. You are joining the thousands of concerned citizens, not only of the United States but of the world to say that the practice of female genital mutilation must be stopped. You are saying that there is no longer a place in the world for atrocities and violence against woman. It is a tradition that is older than five centuries but it is tradition that plays no positive role in a girl’s life; instead it can hinder her ability to bear children, and produces a lifetime of both physical and psychological pain.

Won’t you tell the little girls that you care what happens to them by signing this petition? Thank you.

On Saturday, August 15, 2015, Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation joined Inter-African Committee USA (IAC-USA) in the first camp for children against female genital mutilation. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the organization’s U.S. office hosted the camp where both girls and boys attended with their parents in Germantown, Maryland.

Speaking to the children was the President and Founder of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, Angela Peabody. She told the children, “You are all American citizens because you were born here. Your parents are from other countries but you are Americans so if anyone threatens you to make you do something that you do not know about, you need to know that you are protected by the laws of America. FGM is illegal in the United States, and if anyone tries to do it to you, they will be arrested and sent to jail.”

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 has organized this one day summer camp, “Vacances Sans Excision”” 

The children ranged in ages from 20 months old to 17 years old. They learned how to beat the drums, jump hopscotch, dance, sing, do artwork, play sports and they learned both American and African history. At the end of the event, the children were asked what they had learned from the camp. One of the boys said he learned that FGM is wrong, while another equated the work against FGM to what Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King did. According to their answers, the message had reached the children, and they had soaked it up like sponges.

The Global Woman Center has established a special network of OB-GYNs in the Washington, D.C. area. The center will refer women that are survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM) to physicians in their special network for proper check-ups and other gynecological care. The center is also working toward partnering with the health insurance providers that are accepted by the network physicians. Joining the network of OB-GYNs are physicians from Arlington, Manassas and Silver Spring.

This Saturday, August 22, 2015 the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation will open the second location of the Global Woman Center within two months. The second location is in South Arlington, Virginia a block from Columbia Pike. On Saturday, June 27, 2015, the organization opened the first location in Washington, D.C.

The Global Woman Center was established especially to offer support for survivors and at-risk girls of female genital mutilation (FGM). The purpose of the center is to create a place where women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) are welcomed in the Washington, D.C. area; where prevention and rehabilitation of the practice of FGM takes place; where they can feel safe, and respected. The organization saw the need for a Virginia location, after the release of high statistics of at-risk girls and survivors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Meanwhile, the Washington, D.C. location will service Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is partnering with International Emergency and Development Aid (IEDA) Relief in the Arlington Center. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, IEDA Relief is an international non-governmental organization specializing in international development and humanitarian assistance. In addition to their Arlington office, IEDA Relief also maintains other regional offices in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Mali and the Philippines. Both Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. and IEDA are excited about the collaboration in their humanitarian efforts.

The rehabilitative program at the center includes post-FGM counseling, proper OB-GYN referrals for check-ups and referrals for restorative surgeries for the survivors.  The surgery will help survivors of FGM have regular OB-GYN check-ups without embarrassment, have normal childbirth without the risk of infant and maternal mortalities, and to live without the physical genital pain they encounter with every monthly cycle, with each urination and sexual encounter.  The center has created a network of special OB-GYNs to offer proper care for the survivors. Many of the women live with the psychological consequences in post-FGM life.

The preventive program at the center involves training of school teachers, school counselors, school nurses, parents and members of law enforcement, as well as an outreach educational campaign to communities.  Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation believes that if everyone is educated and informed fully on this practice, the campaign to end FGM will be successful.  Education is the key to ending FGM throughout the world. 

If you are a survivor of FGM and need to talk with someone about your experience, or if you know a survivor, please contact the Global Woman Center to set up an appointment for consultation. If you suspect that a girl is at risk of undergoing FGM, contact the Global Woman Center or law enforcement authorities.

The Washington, D.C. center location is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11:00am until 12:30pm. Dr. Chelsia Bhatti is available those days and times to meet with you. The Arlington, Virginia center location will open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am until 3:00pm.

It is only 10 weeks 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.

• 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 above. 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 and have proper OB-GYN check-ups. 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.

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.

In their efforts to raise further awareness and support of the campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM), Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is launching “End FGM Social”.  End FGM Social is a way to get communities involved in spreading information about the practice of FGM.

Here is how an End FGM Social works:

• You tell Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation (GWPF) that you want to host an End FGM Social
•  A representative from GWPF contacts you and provides the Hosting Guidelines and discusses the details with you
• You select the program format you would like at your Social (a film on FGM, a PowerPoint presentation on FGM, a discussion or a “talk”
• You invite your friends, family members, coworkers, colleagues and neighbors to your End FGM Social
• A GWPF team will travel to your community and do the rest.  We provide the film, the PowerPoint, the discussion or the talk.  We will even bring the refreshments.  We only want you to provide the venue, invite the attendees and get their RSVP’s for a final headcount.  GWPF does the rest.
• You or your community group become eligible to win “Best End FGM Social of the Year”

As the campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM) gains continued recognition in the United States and around the world, Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation invites you to help us share knowledge of the practice with your friends and colleagues.  We feel that a social setting creates a relaxed atmosphere, which adds an ease to the topic of FGM.

We held a pilot End FGM Social last month in a Maryland community, and it was a great success.  At the end of the year, GWPF’s special committee will decide which individual or community group held the best Social of the year; an award will be presented to the winner!  Get in on the campaign to end FGM by hosting a Social.  In President Obama’s speech during his recent visit to East Africa, he chimed in on the campaign, “There’s no excuse for sexual assault or domestic violence, there’s no reason that young girls should suffer genital mutilation, there’s no place in a civilized society for the early or forced marriage of children. These traditions may go back centuries; they have no place in the 21st century.”

If you are interested in letting your voice be heard in the campaign to end FGM, contact us at info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org or call us at 703.818.3787 or you may visit our website at www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.  We look forward to hearing from you and possibly seeing you at your very own “End FGM Social”!

Practicing FGM on U.S. soil carries a minimum of five years imprisonment or more.  Transporting girls from the United States to another country with the intention of performing female genital mutilation on them is subject to the same term of imprisonment, and possibly losing custody of your child.  Know the facts and laws surrounding the practice of FGM in the United States.