MORE than 500 girls have been rescued from undergoing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) after camping for almost one month at Masanga centre FGM rescue camp.
The centre is run by the Association for Termination of Female Genital Mutilation (ATFGM), a local organisation that fights FGM in Mara Region.
“We received 552 from Tanzania and 55 from Kenya “, ATFGM Masanga Project Manager, Mr Valerian Mgani, said on Saturday.
He was speaking during the official closure of the 2019 ATFGM Masanga rescue camp.
According to him, a total of 3,562 girls had been rescued from undergoing FGM since 2008 when the programme started.
Authorities in Mara Region urged communities still seeing FGM as important culture to shelve it.
“FGM is one of the outdated cultures. It is high time for everyone to say enough is enough,” Butiama District Commissioner (DC) Ms Anna- Rose Nyambi said.
The DC officially closed the 2019 FGM rescue camp on behalf of Mara Regional Commissioner (RC) Mr Adam Malima.
Tarime District Commissioner (DC) Eng Mtemi Msafiri warned that parents or guardians who will force the girls to undergo FGM after returning to their homes will be arrested and face legal actions.
FGM is outlawed in Tanzania.
“We will make close follow ups to ensure that these girls remain safe even after returning to their respective homes.”
FGM remains a major concern in Mara Region despite local and international organisations spending millions of shillings to conduct anti- FGM campaigns in the region.
Many girls were last month subjected to undergo FGM in various rural villages of Tarime District, including in the ones surrounding ATFGM Masanga centre.
