The Girl Generation – Africa Led Movement to end female genital mutilation (TGG-ALM) was established to develop and test approaches to ending FGM that are locally led, scalable, sustainable, and impactful. Among its most transformative approaches has been the Survivor Leadership and Well-Being model.
This approach centers survivors of FGM in programming, not just as beneficiaries but as leaders and experts. Their knowledge isn’t found in books or policy briefs; it’s rooted in lived experiences, resilience, and a strong commitment to ensuring the next generation of girls is free from this violence.
Recently, UNFPA Sierra Leone invited TGG-ALM staff to share the methodology and skills used in survivor leadership trainings. For a programme designed to test and scale evidence-based approaches, this was both affirming and significant.
We arrived in Sierra Leone on a Sunday evening, having travelled from East to West Africa and crossed the Atlantic Ocean by ferry. As Monday morning approached, we felt both excitement and humility. Excitement because what began as a tested approach had evolved into a structured curriculum ready to be scaled up; and because, as the ALM programme comes to an end, we are intentionally placing the SLI model into the hands of partners such as UNFPA to carry it forward.Humility, because this was beyond TGG-ALM’s focal countries, and we did not know how the approach would resonate.
In a country where more than 80% of women have been subjected to FGM, and where there is no comprehensive national law explicitly prohibiting this form of violence, the weight of trauma is profound. It is difficult to fully grasp the visible and invisible scars carried by women and girls.
As we listened to the 27 survivors, alongside more than 10 organisers, one theme quickly emerged: the persistent use of “culture” to justify FGM. This framing continues to shield violence from accountability. At the same time, we observed an opportunity to further strengthen survivor engagement by more intentionally integrating well-being and trauma-informed approaches into programming, ensuring that leadership development is accompanied by adequate emotional support and safeguarding.
Over four days, we explored emotional well-being, trauma-informed approaches, power and language, the importance of narrative change, survivors as experts/leaders, and survivors solidarity through effective network management. Structured exercises created safe spaces not only for strategy, but for healing.
We also appreciated the importance of context specificity. In Sierra Leone, the roles connected to FGM are perceived and expressed differently. For instance, Sowes (cutters) are openly known within communities and may engage publicly, while the Bondo society (a women-led cultural initiation society) remains an influential institution, though widely recognised as a secret society, and engages where necessary. These contextual realities reinforced that efforts to end FGM must be locally grounded, culturally aware, and responsive to how responsibility, influence, and change are understood within each setting.
By the end of the training, survivors had greater clarity on their role in ending FGM, the value of forming networks, and the importance of advocating for their rights collectively. A significant shift was also observed among partners, who recognised, some for the first time, the critical role of psychotherapists in supporting the mental and emotional well-being of survivors.
Perhaps most powerful was the courage shown in the room. Several survivors shared their personal stories for the first time. In doing so, they moved from silence to strength, from isolation to solidarity.This experience reaffirmed a powerful lesson: sustainable change requires more than awareness. It requires survivor-centred approaches that integrate well-being, language, and leadership.
Beyond the training room, we embraced the warmth of Sierra Leone, taking in the beautiful hilly landscape, and visiting the vibrant market alive with colour. These moments of connection grounded our experience in shared humanity and joy. We left with deep hope, inspired by the courage of powerful young women whose determination to protect the next generation from FGM is both unwavering and transformative.
