AMREF Health Africa’s global CEO, Dr. Githinji Gitahi congratulated Nailantei, noting that she is ‘an extraordinary young woman/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 20 – Anti- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) crusader Nice Nailantei Leng’ete has been named among the 100 most influential people of this year by Time Magazine.
Leng’ete received the honour for her work with Masai communities in Kenya to end the practice of cut.
The AMREF Health Africa Staff member was only 8-years-old when she ran away from her home to avoid being subjected to FGM, a practice that was common for young girls in the village where she grew up.
She endured beatings but still refused to undergo ‘the cut’.
Leng’ete eventually convinced her grandfather, a Masai elder, to allow her not to have FGM so she could continue going to school.
In many pastoralist communities, the practice of FGM is directly linked to child marriage and lack of education for girls.
AMREF Health Africa’s global CEO, Dr. Githinji Gitahi congratulated Nailantei, noting that she is ‘an extraordinary young woman whose passion for the rights of girls is transforming social norms and practices so they can become the women they want to be.’
Leng’ete will be attending the TIME 100 Gala in New York City on next Tuesday.
The World Health Organisation defines FGM as all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
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