Ending FGM: Survivor voices drive change in Mara Region

MARA: IN villages across Tarime District in the Mara region of Tanzania, a quiet but powerful transformation is taking root—one led by women, girls, and community champions who are breaking longheld silences around Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Once considered an unavoidable rite of passage, FGM is increasingly being challenged by those who have lived through its pain and are determined to ensure the next generation grows up free from harm.

At the forefront of this transformation is the UNFPA–Novo Nordisk partnership, which is empowering survivors, strengthening and mobilizing community structures, and working with local leaders to advance the abandonment of FGM.

Through this support, villages in Mara are experiencing new dialogues, strengthened referral systems, and an emerging recognition and protection of girls’ rights and bodily autonomy. Mara region has historically recorded some of the highest FGM prevalence rates in Tanzania.

For generations, the practice has been deeply embedded in cultural norms and reinforced by expectations around womanhood, marriageability, and honour.

Behind these traditions, however, are the stories of women and girls who endured severe physical, social and emotional trauma—ranging from dangerous childbirth complications and long-term psychological distress to, in the most extreme cases, lifethreatening consequences.

Today, the community landscape is beginning to shift. Survivors, families, traditional elders, teachers, midwives, and youth leaders are increasingly stepping forward as key voices for change.

With the support of the UNFPA–Novo Nordisk programme, these individuals are creating a local and credible force that is reshaping norms from within.

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One such voice is that of Olivia Albert, a 19-year-old survivor from Tarime who now leads a youth advocacy group supported through the programme. Olivia was cut at age 13, just before school resumed for the year. She remembers both the intense physical pain and the emotional burden that followed her for years.

“I hid my pain because everyone around me said it was normal,” she recalls. “But deep down, I knew what I experienced was not something any girl should go through.” Her healing began when she participated in a community dialogue facilitated by UNFPA’s partners. Listening to other survivors openly share their experiences gave her courage.

“I realized my voice had power. If I spoke up, maybe one girl—just one—would be spared,” she says.

Today, Olivia is a leading advocate in her community. She conducts peer education sessions in schools, supports girls at risk during the cutting season, and works with women and children protection committees to ensure survivors receive help and cases are reported.

“Survivor leadership is changing my community,” she says confidently.

“When girls hear from someone who has lived through this, they listen differently. They find courage. Supporting this movement are male champions who are challenging harmful norms. Among them is Mwita Nyasibira, a respected community elder in Tarime. “For many years, FGM was seen as a tradition that must continue,” he explains.

“But we now understand the harm it causes—physically, emotionally, and to our community’s development.” Thanks to training and engagement through the UNFPA–Novo Nordisk Programme, Mwita has become a vocal advocate for alternative rites of passage and girls’ education.

“Change must come from within,” he says.

“When men, fathers, and elders stand up to protect girls, the whole community moves forward.” His leadership has helped establish village women and children protection committees that monitor cutting seasons, engage with traditional practitioners, and create safe spaces for girls at risk. The programme has already begun to show promising results.

More than 60 survivors have been trained as advocates and facilitators, amplifying local voices and expanding awareness across the district. Community protection mechanisms continue to grow stronger, helping girls at risk access safe shelters and ensuring collaboration with police gender desks.

Youth engagement has increased through school-based initiatives and clubs, reaching thousands of adolescents with information about their rights and the harms of FGM.

Traditional leaders are also beginning to support the abandonment of the practice, with some promoting cultural alternatives that preserve identity without harm.

“These community-led models show that transformation becomes sustainable when it is driven by the very people affected by the practice,” says Dr. Amir Batenga, UNFPA’s Zonal Programme Coordinator – Lake Zone – technical lead for the Ending FGM programme.

“We are seeing stronger voices, stronger systems, and a growing belief that every girl deserves to grow up safe and empowered.” This progress has been made possible through the unwavering support of the Novo Nordisk Programme, whose partnership with UNFPA has strengthened community resilience, supported survivorled initiatives, and enhanced local service delivery.

Novo Nordisk’s commitment to advancing the rights and wellbeing of women and girls continues to enable change that is meaningful, locally owned, and sustainable. As the sun softens across the hills of Tarime, Olivia stands among a group of schoolgirls eager to share their stories and ask questions.

Some are afraid of the next cutting season. Others are hopeful that change is possible. For these girls, Olivia represents strength, courage, and the possibility of a different future.

“The next generation deserves better,” she says. “We cannot erase the past, but we can make sure the next girl grows up without fear. And together, we will make that happen.”