Every girl deserves a safe nurturing environment, a voice and a chance to dream. But for many in Kenya, harmful traditions like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage threaten their childhood, health, education and future.
Nice Place Foundation is the brainchild of Nice Leng’ete, who, at the age of eight, defied the cultural convention and avoided female genital cutting (FGC). Through an extraordinary series of events characteristic of her tenacity and dynamism, Nice became the first woman in recorded Masai history to be bestowed with the Black Talking Stick. Known in the Maa language as ‘esiere’, the stick symbolises leadership. It allows Nice to converse with men and elders, particularly in her and surrounding communities.
In collaboration with Amref Health Africa, Africa’s largest health NGO, she designed an alternative to FGC, a rite of passage that spares young girls from FGC. By eliminating FGC, the Alternative Rite of Passage provides an opportunity to increase knowledge on topics including reproductive health, the dangers of FGC, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, life skills, and children’s rights.
The desire of girls in Kajiado to realise their full potential cannot be underestimated. Many girls who are at risk of FGC and consequently being married off run away from their homes. Due to a lack of safe havens, they often end up being victims of forced FGC and child marriages, leaving them without the opportunity to advance their education and pursue any dreams of a career.
