Cynthia speaks from experience
As a 14-year-old Maasai girl, Cynthia was forced to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM/C) herself.
Now, she’s devoted her life to fighting for women’s rights and eradicating this harmful practice once and for all.
A happy childhood cut short by FGM/C
“I had a happy childhood,” she recalls. “My village felt like one big family. But one day, everything changed. I was washing dishes when my aunts appeared, held me down, and [cut] me. My parents, who are strongly against this practice, weren’t home—and my aunts knew it.”
When her parents returned and learned what had happened, they were outraged, but felt powerless. Their only option was to protect their daughter from being pressured into marriage.
“They sent me to boarding school,” Cynthia says. “In our village, they were alone in thinking that girls shouldn’t be [cut] and married off, so school was my escape.”
For a while, Cynthia found some peace at school. She even managed to bury her traumatic memories—until a teacher asked her to speak about [experience of being cut] in class.
“It brought everything rushing back,” she says. “I became depressed and even considered taking my own life.”
The turning point: from FGM/C survivor to champion
The turning point came in 2009 with the birth of Cynthia’s sister. “Suddenly it hit me—this could happen to her, too. I thought, enough is enough.”
With support from Amref, Cynthia became a champion of an alternative rite of passage for young girls, a ceremony that honours tradition without the violence of cutting.
Building trust to end FGM/C
She’s learned to approach this issue with care and sensitivity. “You can’t just show up and demand change,” she explains.
“We start by helping communities with things they need, like clean drinking water. That builds trust and respect. Only after that trust is established can we begin talking about something as delicate as ending FGM/C.”
When asked if she’s hopeful, Cynthia’s eyes brighten. “Absolutely. More girls are learning about their rights and speaking up. More young men are joining us, too. I’m hearing things like, ‘Of course I’ll stand up for my sisters and marry a girl who’s not circumcised.’ Those voices are growing stronger.”
Cynthia's powerful message
Before she leaves, Cynthia delivers one final, powerful message. “Never underestimate what you can do,” she says. “Use your voice. Many of you already do, and I’m grateful for that. If we join hands, we can end female genital mutilation—together.”
Watch Cynthia deliver her message
Cynthia Oning’oi is an end FGM/C advocate working with Amref Health Africa in Kajiado, Kenya. She works with Maasai communities where she is from, to help them transition to alternative ways to mark a girl’s rite of passage to womanhood. Her work is helping to save girls from the pain and trauma of the cut.
