By Collins Wanzallah, THE DISPATCH DIGITAL
World Vision has distributed dairy goats to women and girls in Kuria West Sub-county, Migori Couny, as part of an initiative to combat female genital mutilation (FGM).
Zadrack Yator, Cluster Manager at the organisation, said the initiative aims to promote dairy goat farming in the area, providing an alternative economic solution that empowers communities to fight against harmful practices like FGM. The programme, according to Yator, also supports the livelihoods of women and girls by offering sustainable income opportunities.
In a press statement, Yator emphasised that the goal of the project is to shift the community’s focus away from practices such as FGM and early marriages, and instead encourage income generation through livestock farming. By promoting dairy farming, the project aims to steer attention towards education for girls and away from traditional harmful practices.
Yator noted that beneficiaries will be encouraged to focus on milk and meat production, which will help improve their economic stability while reducing the pressure to engage in outdated customs. The programme is also designed to boost child nutrition and household incomes, addressing the root causes behind the prevalence of FGM in the Kuria community.
“Economic factors are closely tied to the rise and continuation of FGM within the Kuria community, and this is what we aim to address,” Yator stated.
Lucas Mosenda, Agriculture and Livestock CEC in the Migori County Government, echoed Yator’s sentiments and praised World Vision’s efforts to help end FGM in Kuria. He pointed out that the practice is linked to early marriages, where young girls are circumcised and then married off for wealth.
Two programme beneficiaries, Mwita Matiko and Polyne Ghati, expressed their gratitude to World Vision and pledged to become role models in their community, advocating against FGM.
Kuria, along with the Somali and Maasai communities, is one of the regions in Kenya where female circumcision is still practiced despite being widely condemned as an outdated and harmful tradition.