When we began this journey in July 2023, the idea of a CSO Network to end FGM in Kenya was more of a hope than a structure. It started as an internal conversation, a call to bring together scattered efforts, shared frustrations, and powerful dreams into one unified front.
Today, that hope has grown into something tangible: a name, a face, a structure, and most importantly, a powerful voice with a clear strategy. Experiencing the event in Narok during the launch of the strategic plan of the CSO-led Network to End FGM in Kenya in July 2025and witnessing the symbolic baton pass from The Girl Generation-ALM to Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW) was a moment to relive a journey that has been both challenging and beautiful.
It was a reminder that movement building is about serving the vision and nurturing the spaces where others can rise and dreams can be achieved. And this is exactly what The Girl Generation-ALM has done.
Many wonder what it has taken to witness the CSOs Network in Kenya become alive. Here are a few reflections.
Patience and Presence
As many movement builders say, true movements are not built in a sprint. They are marathons of purpose, patience, and collective effort. Over the last two years, this network has taught me the deep value of patience; patience with processes, people, and with systems.
There were days when momentum slowed, when meetings were tough, and when the weight of coordination felt heavy. Yet progress demanded consultation with fellow network members and a commitment to staying the course. It required showing up, even in the quiet moments when applause was absent.
Resilience Beyond Strategy
We often speak of strategy as the backbone of our work, and the Strategic Plan we unveiled in July 2025 stands as a proud testament to that. But strategy alone does not sustain movements; resilience does.
Resilience in the face of shifting donor priorities. Resilience in the silence that follows a difficult advocacy push. Resilience in the painful yet courageous stories of survivors. And resilience in the unrelenting commitment to change, even when the odds seem high.
Collective Action as the Power to Sustain a Movement
The Network stands today because its members chose to have #OneStrategyOneMovementOneVoice, not because it was easy, but because it was essential. Every organization that joined hands, from survivors across counties, grassroots groups in West Pokot, Laikipia, Embu, Mandera counties, advocates in Migori, Narok, Garissa to national and international organizations, became a building block.
It is a reminder that no single actor, no matter how capable, can end FGM alone. Only through shared responsibility, shared learning, and shared hope has the Network been able to grow—and it is this same spirit that will carry it to even greater heights.
Centering Survivors at the Heart of the Movement
One of the most transformative aspects of this journey has been the grounding of survivor leadership. When survivors share their experiences, not as victims, but as leaders, narrativesshift. Stories become strategy. Wounds became wisdom. And healing becomes a political act.
In this network, survivors are not just symbolic. They are the heartbeat. They are the ones who remind us that data points are lives. That policy is personal. That “zero FGM” is not a slogan, it is a matter of dignity and justice.
Well-being is not a luxury but a necessity
Working on FGM is not ordinary work. It is emotionally triggering and deeply personal forsurvivors and for every frontline activist and supporter of the end FGM movement. Survivorscarry stories that linger in their hearts long after meetings end.
Supporters witness pain that cannot be unseen. That is why well-being must be central to movement building, not as a side activity, but as core infrastructure. In the network, through meaningful engagement with survivors, we have learnt that healing must walk hand in hand with advocacy. Survivors and frontline activists need safe spaces to process, rest, and rebuild. We cannot pour from an empty cup, and therefore, as we continue to push for change, we must also protect the hearts and minds of those leading the charge.
Partnership with Government
Building this network has also demonstrated that the government is not just a stakeholder; it must be a leading participant. From the Anti-FGM Board to county leadership across different areas, we have seen what becomes possible when government actors go beyond mere obligation and step into leadership and shared ownership. The journey is stronger when we walk together, recognizing the power of both institutional frameworks and grassroots efforts. For instance, it is through this kind of partnership that the CSOs Network has had a meaningful opportunity to engage as one entity in the review of the FGM Prohibition Act 2011.
Service, Not Leadership
If there is one lesson that will stay with me long after this transition, it is this: movement building is not about leading from the front; it is about serving from within. It involves convening, connecting, amplifying, and sometimes quietly stepping back so others can lead and shine.
Leadership in this space is not about visibility. It’s about protecting the integrity of the work, centering those most affected, and holding space for truth, disruption, and growth. This is the approach The Girl Generation-ALM has taken.
As The Girl Generation-ALM hands over…
This is not the end. The race continues. The movement deepens. The baton may have changed hands, but the commitment remains unshaken. We entrust the coordination of the CSO Network to the very capable hands of COVAW, knowing this is not the close of a chapter but the beginning of a deeper, more rooted, locally owned movement. COVAW’s deep roots in community engagement and advocacy make this transition both natural and necessary. In handing over, we live out the core values of the Africa-led Movement—centering local ownership, ensuring sustainability, and placing power exactly where it belongs: in the hands of those closest to the girls and communities we serve.
From The Girl Generation-ALM to every organization that has believed, contributed, challenged, and stood firm, thank you. To every survivor who has lent their voice, the Network hears you and follows your lead. To the Anti-FGM Board of Kenya, who have walked with us, let us keep showing what partnership truly means. And to our donor, FCDO, thank you for your support, your belief in locally led movements, and your commitment to a future free from FGM. Your partnership has made this journey possible.
Let us keep building. Let us keep rising. Let us never forget: each girl matters. Each woman matters. Each voice matters. And let us always remember, true movements are not built in a sprint. They are nurtured through patience, purpose, and people.
