Travel with Us - A Photo Journey Visiting HGWT (Part 3)

(Disclaimer - All photos are published with the specific consent of Rhobi Samwelly and individuals in the photos).

In this blog, the third blog in the series, Travel with Us - A Photo Journey visiting Hope for Girls and Women (HGWT), I would like to share more about the importance of vocational training, witnessing reconciliation (a small scale Alternate Rite of Passage ceremony), the impact of the FAWCO funding, and saying goodbye! 

Vocational training is an important development tool for girls that have never been to school, or have been forced to leave school at a very young age. Tailoring and other sewing skills are being taught at the Butiama Safe House under the guidance of the Fashion and Design Teacher.

One of our visits was to visit a vocational training student of HGWT that is now the owner of a successful small business in one of the villages in the Butiama district. She was busy sewing a very intricate dress when we visited. I love fabric, and could not stop admiring the beautiful pieces of Kitenge fabric that she has in her shop.

We saw the tailoring training in action at the safe house. The girls are taught to make dresses, skirts, shirts, computer bags and backpacks. It was my impression that their training is so good that they will be able to make any piece of clothing that is asked of them. All the skirts that the girls in both safe houses are wearing have been made by the tailoring students.   

The girls made a shirt for Graham and a dress for me. The most amazing piece of this was that they never asked us to be measured for the garments. But yet, it fitted perfectly.  

We also received a backpack and a computer bag that we have already started to use. I was so impressed with the quality of the craftsmanship. The next step will be to market these, and other goods, to be sold to tourists, and for it to become available in hotels in the national parks.

HGWT received a number of sewing and knitting machines from FAWCO as part of the 2020-2022 Target Project which are used to knit sweaters for the girls and various schools. There are two girls working full time on this project with support for other girls when needed. A total of 180 sweaters were made during  June 2023.

One of the highlights of our time with HGWT was the opportunity to observe two reconciliation visits between girls and their families. Reconciliation can also be seen as an Alternative Rites of Passage ceremony, a moment to acknowledge the passage from girlhood to womanhood, an important feature in many societies. The blog, What does Alternative Rite of Passage Mean to You and Me? that I wrote for the Target Project explores the importance of the ceremony and how it is used to celebrate women and girls, educate communities and fight the practice of FGM.

We left the Butiama Safe House with a heavily loaded vehicle, some apprehension in the two girls that were going to be reconciled, and a quiet excitement amongst the HGWT staff. And for Graham and I, an enormous appreciation that we were invited to participate and observe these very important moments.

The reconciliation visit is a crucial time to make sure that the parents understand the importance of the agreement that they will undertake to protect their daughter against Female Genital Mutilation and all other forms of Gender Based Violence. The reconciliation conversation with parents can take many months, and is always a team effort between the staff of HGWT, Social Services and the Police Gender Desk, as well as the community.

It was incredible to be present during these visits - moments filled with love between parents and daughters to be together again, pride in the parents to see how their daughters have developed, and the acknowledgment that FGM will be eradicated in the long term. 

An important moment in the reconciliation meeting is when the parents are asked to sign a contract in which they undertake not to subject their daughter to any form of Gender Based Violence. A copy of this contract will be kept with all the role players. The staff of HGWT do regular follow up visits to ensure that the reconciled girl remains safe.

Both girls received a sewing machine from HGWT, purchased with the FAWCO Target Project funding. It is the custom that the reconciled girl will also receive gifts from the parents, family and friends, which was pieces of beautiful Kitenge fabric.

And then, back at the Butiama Safe House, the moment to say goodbye! And another very memorable experience! We were asked to officially open the Butiama Vocational Training Center during which we had to cut a ribbon and unveil a plaque.     

A part of my being will always be in Africa, and now in Tanzania with Rhobi, the staff of HGWT and the girls. We could encourage them, but they in turn inspired us! Giselle Portenier, the filmmaker of In the Name of Your Daughter often said to me Once you know, you can’t unknow!, and this is now even more true since we were able to visit and experience the challenges first hand.

There are many challenges for HGWT and the communities in which they work, to name a few:

• Cross border FGM is an important issue, now addressed by closer collaboration between the Police Gender Desks in both Tanzania and Kenya;

• Changing long standing practices such as early marriage is crucial, and can only be done by the education and buy-in of the communities;

• Involvement of men in protecting their daughters against Female Genital Mutilation and all other forms of Gender Based Violence;

• Ongoing development of the Safe House infrastructure to enable a safe place for girls escaping from GBV and FGM;

• Further development of the vocational training center to, not just provide developmental opportunities for the girls being sheltered at the safe houses, but to eventually become a community training center;

• Supporting the secondary and tertiary education of the girls residing at the safe house. Nelson Mandela said Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world, whether it is academic or vocational training.

Your ongoing support in purchasing my art will enable me/us to make the educational dreams of more girls come true.

Thank you very much! / Asante sana!