World Champions side with MS Kenya against female circumcision

Kenyan World Champion 800 meter runners Tegla Loroupe and Billy Konchellah walked hand in hand with MS Kenya director Anne Hoff against female circumcision

Tegla Loroupe (middle) walking hand in hand with MS director Anne Hoff and American Ambassador Michael F. Ranneberger

Kenyan World Champion 800 meter runners Tegla Loroupe and Billy Konchellah walked hand in hand with MS Kenya director and hundreds of other participants in a run against female circumcision, in Kenya commonly known as FGM (Female Genital Mutilation).

The run took place this Saturday, April 21^st, in Kilgoris, Transmara Southern Kenya. The event was organized by organisation ‘Cherish Others’ working among the local communities.

Close to a thousand people, mainly locals took part in the run, which eventually turned out to be a walk of seven kilometers through Kilgoris town. The aim was to help change the attitude of the Maasai community towards FGM. MS Kenya together with the US Embassy, local communities and the local administration had sponsored not only the ‘run’ but also a three day workshop for local girls on the issues of FGM and early marriage.

Close to 1000 pairs of feet walked the tarmac of Kilgoris.

The day before the run 30 girls who had all taken part in the workshop were presented with their certificate by MS Kenya director Anne Hoff. They all made a pledge to stick to education and not to give in to pressure to be circumcised. And after the run they were crowned with the traditional colorful maasai beaded crowns.

The crowning took place at an event where MS Kenya director Anne Hoff and US Ambassador Michael F. Ranneberger together with Gideon Konchellah, the locally elected Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons, all gave speeches.

One of the girls taking part in the workshop receives her certificate from MS Kenya director Anne Hoff.

In her speech Anne Hoff addressed the issue of FGM from both a local and a global perspective adding that according to Amnesty International over 130 million women worldwide have been affected by some form of FGM with over two million procedures being performed every year.

From a local perspective she expressed the solidarity of MS Kenya with ‘Cherish Others’ and ‘all the friends gathered’ to put a complete stop to FGM in Transmara.

“I speak personally to express my solidarity with this anti FGM intervention and to represent MS Kenya’s position, the eradication of this most cruel and inhumane practice on women which has no place in modern society,” she said.

From left: Gideon Konchellah, Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons, MS Kenya director Anne Hoff, leader of 'Cherish Others', Ruth Kito, US Ambassador Michael F. Ranneberger and Tegla Loroupe.

Gideon Konchellah in his speech stated the maasai community is these days sending a message to the world that the maasai are changing to value their girl children higher. And for that reason, the minister added, five new schools for girls have been established recently in the region.

The American Ambassor, Michael F. Ranneberger, in his speech deemed FGM an ‘anachronistic and dangerous pratice’ and spoke out of his personal situation.

“I have a sixteen year old daughter, growing into a beautiful young woman, with all of the hope and anxieties that adolescents have. So I feel particular affinity with the girls here today.’