The project was started in 1998 by Sr. Ephigenia Gachiri, IBVM. The aim was to promote the well-being and rights of the girls, to ensure that they remain as beautiful as God made them. FGM is a dangerous and retrogressive cultural practice. It disrupts the lives of girls, in some cases totally altering the rhythm and cycle of their growth and development. It is also traumatic, it causes pain, suffering, and sometimes death. Survivors of FGM live with physical and emotional pain.
The campaign started in Murang’a Catholic Diocese but has grown to cover many dioceses across vast geographical area. The official opening of the Loreto Abundant Life Center, Isinya Kenya is testament to the commitment of the Loreto sisters to protecting and promoting the girls so that they attain their highest potentials. The idea and practice of the Christian rite of Passage as an alternative to help the girls move from childhood has had great impact. However, more remains to be done to end FGM. May the vision of TFGM be realized, may ‘communities truly adopt and adopt rites of passage that promote and affirm the dignity of women.’