A historic moment celebrated with joy

Joined by activists from around the world, Orchid Project held a live Facebook discussion to a global audience listening in from countries including India, the UK, Senegal, Singapore, Ethiopia, the USA, Kenya and beyond. Panelists included Sivananthi Thanenthiran, Executive Director of ARROW in South East Asia, Wairimu Munyinyi-Wahome Executive Director of COVAW in Kenya, and Mariya Taher, Co-founder of Sahiyo in the US/India. You can still check out the live discussion on Facebook.

Orchid Project's grassroots partner S.A.F.E. Kenya, celebrated a historic moment for the Loita Hills' Maasai community, as over 3,000 people gathered to publicly declare an end to FGC. Orchid Project and S.A.F.E. have been working in partnership for a number of years, and this declaration is the result of nearly a decade of work that has been devised and led by the local Maasai community. Wednesday saw Maasai cultural leaders come together in front of thousands from Kenya and across the border in Tanzania bless an alternative rite of passage (ARP), showing that girls can graduate into womanhood without undergoing the cut.