The Cut
On a rainy night, Mrs Huzuni, a dark petite weary woman in a ragged dress and a new khanga delivered her third child. This night was also important because her eldest daughter was going to meet the same fate as hers.
As it was custom for a girl of her age, Shida had to go through the “cut” so as to be considered clean, preserve her virginity, be eligible for marriage, enhance her fertility and sexuality.
A celebration would be thrown afterwards in her honour and the community would welcome her with songs and gifts.
Girls who did not embrace this culture suffered rejection from the society. Mrs Huzuni was worried because one of her nieces had passed on due to blood loss after undergoing the same ritual while her cousin who was suffering from obstetric fistula was having depression.
She wished for her daughter to have a normal married life enjoying conjugal rights, not experience immense pain every time she had sexual relations and a normal delivery, not the caesarean section the doctor had advised since her opening was small.
Wishes are not horses, she thought as she turned her teary eyes to her little daughter’s innocent ones, silently wishing for a twist of fate.
When Shida’s father arrived, rain was drizzling away against the window. A strange fear enveloped Shida, forcing her to tighten her grip on her brother’s arm as she quacked with sobs. After hearing about her cousin’s demise and reading somewhere that this practice could cause urinary tract infection and HIV, her fear had heightened.
Amani held her with tenderness, his hands stroking her back. When their father pulled her away, Amani took in her sister’s gloom expression and pleading eyes as he dropped to the ground. Shida cried out his name and his chest tightened.
The darkness outside mirrored Shida’s mind and she wished for the earth to swallow her as they reached their destination. She saw a silhouette behind a mango tree and hope rose inside her.
Her brother had come as planned. He was going to help her escape and take her to the woman who was saving young girls that found themselves in a situation like hers. Her father groaned upon feeling a surging pain on his head caused by a stone and he reluctantly released Shida’s hand as he fell to the ground, the world spinning around him.
99 Responses
Masha Allah. Keep doing your best
Thank you. I sure will.
Fabulous piece 💯💯
Thanks 😊
You are going places darling 😘 I’ve read many of you’re stories ,and I know you’re a talented writer.what a master piece Masha Allah
I love this story and how Amani was brave enough to help out his sister, having realized the danger awaiting his sister. We should all join hands to stop FGM.
That is right. Let’s end this practice.
Thanks 🥰 🤗
Fabolous piece. Nice work.
Your passion for writing is unexplainable. Don’t put the pen down. 💯
Thanks. I won’t.
Thank you.
Nice piece. Keep it up.
Lovely piece.
Thank you
Shukran
Oh Shida!! Piece worth a read. 🙏🏾
Thanks
Such a masterpiece! Keep it ablaze girl!
Thank you 🙏
I love it girl
Womanhood is not attained through blood and flesh cut .
Amazing piece Bibz
#FGM campaign
True.
That’s right. Thanks a lot.
Thanks, girl.
A touching piece.
Thank you 🙏
Omg 🥺🥺such a story🥰 I can’t wait to read the next article of yours girlll🤩🥰🥰you deserve a medal🏅 I swear girlll
Thank you, dear.
Amazing story.
Thank you, Diana.
Such an amazingly written piece. Keep doing what you love.
Thank you, Juma. I will.
Great piece. Emotional and enlightening.
Thanks, Mariam.
Sensitive topic, well incorporated in the story. Keep at it.
Thanks, Hawa.
Interesting and emotional story.
Thanks, Galvin.
It’s sad how FGM is still practised among other communities. Let’s end it.
Thank you, Glitters.
Good job girl keep it up
Thanks, Irene.
The practice of FGM needs to be stopped. Let’s join hands to end it.
Thank you, J.M.
Being detrimental to health, FGM should be stopped. Let’s continue the awareness.
Thanks, Famy.
Nice story. Deeply touching.
Than you, Danny.
Nice piece. So touching.
This is a masterpiece. Nicely expressed and addressed. Keep it up girl, you’re going places.
Thanks, Dorine. 🥰
Thanks, Ismail.
Thank you, Ismail.
Wow nice piece, good work keep it up girl.
Thanks, Linnette 😊
This a masterpiece for real
Thank you, Selassie 🙏
Nice read. Keep at it gyal
Thank you, Jamin.
FGM has been a hindrance to women health at larger community, its high time to stand and fight this long time cultural practice which has been making women to feel manute
Indeed. We should fight against it.
Perfectly done! Dear
Keep it up. Lovely work.
We have to end this menace. It’s about time people learned that womanhood isn’t acquired through a cut.
Thanks, Milli.
Well written. 👌
Thank you, B.
It’s sad that some communities still practice FGM. But together we can end it
That’s right, Kashi. United, we can end it.
Nice story. It’s enlightening.
It’s heartbreaking how this practice is still carried on. Let’s end FGM.
Yeah, so heartbreaking. We need to end the suffering.
Interesting story narrating the ordeals that some are not aware of.
Thanks.
A nice and educative narrative. #endfgm
Soul touching.
It’s deep. If only everyone knew the effects of FGM…
FGM should be abolished and forbidden completely in our country. Thanks for this piece.
Keep up with the good work!
Thank you dear 😌
It’s really a nice short story ☺️☺️ proud of you bibz
Nice one
Masha Allah. What a lovely story! It has educated and enlightened me on the effects of FGM. Let’s put a stop to it.
I’ve learned a lot from this story. Keep on with the good work.
good staff dear… keep it up!
Let’s end FGM
Interesting story. We should all help those who are about to face FGM like Amani did.
Let’s end FGM and protect our girls from the effects of this old practice.
Woow nice work..keep up with the good work..Let’s say no to FGM
Truly an amazing article mashallah…
It’s sad picturing Mrs Huzuni as a helpless mother. This practice should be stopped. #endfgm
You’re doing great educating others on the dangers of FGM. Keep up.
You’re definitely going places. I love your writing. Great story. 👌
The story is awesome, very educative. Great work!
It’s totally amazing and to the point. ❤️
Great content and a topic that should be widely addressed.End FGM
Great narrative. Very vivid, emotional and enlightening. Let’s break this tradition of FGM.
This is so touching. Keep going, can’t wait for the next article.