Murife did not want to stop running no matter how much everyone kept telling her not to run. “Murife don’t run, don’t run Murife!” she kept hearing voices behind her. One that she could hear clearly was that of her grandmother and wondered how the soft-spoken lady had gained so much projection in her voice yet all she did was whispers and mumbling when she addressed someone. It was dark and these voices were echoing in succession whenever she took a step. And as the echoes became wider, she gathered the courage to run even faster, not paying attention to the weight of her cousin Namaiyan who she had carried on her back and was groaning in pain.
“I will die Murife, I will!” she kept saying. Murife assured her that she will get her to the safe hands of a medic in good time and they will save her from the bleeding. She did not allow her cousin to know she was also crying as she tried to hold back her tears but in vain. Every time Namaiyan said the words I will die, Murife remembered her sister Sempeo, when she was escaping through the same path and thought whatever had befallen her sister would happen – death. She held on to her firmly but not in a way that she could hurt her. “I will save you!” she said as she kept running towards the direction of this now very familiar terrain. This is the last time this is happening, I promise myself it is. She said as finally pushed open the doors of Oloolkushinar Dispensary after that four kilometre run from her village.
Three years later, as she is sitting with Namaiyan at their newly built computer lab that was funded by UNICEF and the county government that sits on the left side of their CBO centre, Murife cannot help but marvel at the kind of progress they have made. “I really am the last girl like you promised.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. A certified counselling psychologist, she has done a lot for her community over three years to fight FGM than has been done in a lifetime. She managed to sensitize enablers and cutters who through the CBO now go by the motto; WE CANNOT LIFT YOU ANYMORE which is aimed at the tools used to mutilate the girls before.
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Joseph Atulo
58 Responses
Good One Bro. The Choice of the ‘Murife’ persona is just wow!!
Asante sana Kimathi. I am glad you loved the article and most importantly got the message. Let’s all #EndFGM
Short end sweet Murife 👍
#YouthEndFGM
Yes, Murife did her best to stop FGM. It is also upon us to do the same through sensitisation. Thank you for your engagement Hamisi
I love this cheers to this good article
#EndFGM
Thank you Doris. I am glad it was informative.
This is a nice writeup about FGM,it’s effects and the work activists as Murife for this case is doing to save Namaiyan life.
We have lost a number of Girls through this Act .
I wish every cutter in our communities could all commit to say and mean” WE CANNOT LIFT YOU ANYMORE”
The tools have costed lives and shuttered the dreams of many girls by preparing to be ripe for marriage despite their teen age, and drop out of school.
It’s painful,it’s not healthy,it’s dreams shutter 😭.FGM should End by 2030
This is a nice writeup about FGM,it’s effects and the work activists as Murife for this case is doing to save Namaiyan life.
We have lost a number of Girls through this Act .
I wish every cutter in our communities could all commit to say and mean” WE CANNOT LIFT YOU ANYMORE”
The tools have costed lives and shuttered the dreams of many girls by preparing to be ripe for marriage despite their teen age, and drop out of school.
It’s painful,it’s not healthy,it’s dreams shutter 😭.FGM should End by 2030
I work at I-REP FOUNDATION and we commit not to tire untill FGM comes to an end .
I am looking forward to thousands of Murifes in our communities. This needs to end because a lot of dreams are being shattered. Children’s Rights should be protected. Children are children, not wives, not dropouts and definitely ot to be killed. #ENDFGM
I am glad you’re working on ending this vice Irene. All of us should put in our efforts to end it.
Brilliant job Joe!!!
I am glad you loved the article. It’s a wonderful platform to all share our experiences and experience here. Thank you Becky for stopping by.
A very noble course,,,murife should not look back…
#resist #FGM
#STOP THE ✂️
Yes sir, we should all cheer for Murife and also be one.
I love your creativity
Thank you Moses.
We can run as far as we could but when duty to address social issues as FGM calls, we leave everything and attend to it.
Indeed that is how its supposed to be. If we cannot be the voice for ending this, especially where children i.e young girls are involved, we are definitely failing them. We need to be their voice and give them a voice too. Thank you Malo for standing for their rights. We should all end FGM
Wow. Good read Joe.
Asante sana Verah. All this for a good cause. We must all stand to End FGM.
FGM is a vice that we all need to fight against. It is hurting our girls and causing a lot of problems to them. They are denied their rights, they are not able to go to school, they are married off as children and some even die. This needs to stop as we all need to collaborate to #EndFGM
It is really sad that in this age and time, we still have people and communities that oractice FGM. Yes, it is a practice enshrined in our culture. However, culture should not harm its people, but rather be a source of beauty and pride to it’s own. Let us work together, pulling resources together to end FGM.
#EndFGM
“…culture should not harm its people, but rather be a source of beauty and pride to it’s own.”
This is really the relevant information that we need to be out here. Well put Mr. Wekesa. I am happy that more of us are working towards ending this vice. End FGM
Inspiring story. It’s really heart breaking to know girls are dying at a young age due to such traditions. We need to stand together and #EndFGM.
Well said George. We should use culture positively. It should be for our good, not a tool of killing us.
Our girls’ rights should be respected.Say no to FGM.#EndFGM
Respect to our girls is respect to the whole world. This is how things should be. We should respect their rights and put them where they are supposed to be and that is in a world where they are able to dream without fear. #EndFGM
Great Story.Very transformative.I Like👍🏿
Thank you Paula. I am glad you found it transformative. Change to the world starts with us.
WE CANNOT LIFT YOU ANYMORE which is aimed at the tools used to mutilate the girls before.”
This is a powerfully written article. Stop and End FGM
Yes Mr. Ogadez, we cannot allow our girls to go through these vices. We must choose to out down these destructive tools of trade. It is not what our girls need. They need to be lifted up to achieve their dreams of a better world. You and I can both be Murife.
This article is creatively written to address how we can all be champions in our community if we decide and promise ourselves to be.
Asante for stopping by Mr. Payl
Well done Joseph Atulo.
Joseph this is amazing sensitisation. We all need to make it our responsibility to End FGM. If we put our hearts to it, we can end FGM.
I am glad you found it so. Asante.
I am glad that Murife dis not stop running until she made sure the village was free from this monster that is fgm. End FGM.
Yes. We all cheer for Murife, may we also take the mantle and never stop running until sustainable change is achievable. #EndFGM
Very informative article, well done
The CBO’s Motto is really what others should emulate. Not lifting the things that bring us and the world down. It is really a good job and would urge all of us to try and sensitize the enablers as you put it, on the effects of FGM and other vices. The effects are obviously negative and they need to see that. #ENDFGM
Yes, we need to fight the cause, the root cause as it is through that that we will bring sustainable change on this issue of Endong FGM.
I am really happy about this platform engaging creatives as this shows how much advocacy and action we want to take as a people having realized how practices like FGM are a hindrance to the growth of our communities. This needs to end. That you YOUTH END FGM for having this platform. I hope we have many Murife who will not stop running until they achieve goals of rescuing our girls and world.
We must all say we are happy that Murife did not stop running. Power to all that are working to #EndFGM. Good work Joseph on this very informative and transformative article. We need this publication to get everywhere for all to read.
Coming from a community that practices this is North-Eastern Kenya, I have seen the tragic effects that this cultural practice is having on the girls and women in our society. Many of us have been affected personally by this and we are working towards talking about it despite the community, especially of those that are affected do not want us to talk about it. Let us work to end fgm.
Shukran Abdul, it is my hope that your community has Murifes who do not stop running until this monster is defeated.
This story is powerful in the sense that it empowers that girl, boy or any individual out there that looks to have their voices in championing against FGM being projected. With this story out here, I believe more people will talk about it with more strength.
Good job Joseph, this is very inspiring. Lets all rise and fight against FGM. We have lost enough girls and women, let have another alternative right of passege for our girls.
This is really an inspiring story Joseph. I am thrilled. We need more Murife. #EndFGM
Having worked with communities that practice this to rescue girls, I must commend Murife and others like her who are at the front line to save our girls with good representation of culture. We can give our girls other presents to usher them into womanhood. Education is one of them. We should #EndFGM
I have been a victim of this. My cousin too saved me and got me to hospital. He was a boy and still is my best cousin to now. I saw death with my own eyes, calling me and I still feel the pain while typing this.
We all need to work towards ending FGM. It is the devil.
Joseph this should go viral on a global level. good job. let’s all end FGM
Murife murife muriffe. Very good job, the author of this article should be commended.
I have actually teared down realizijg that there is a girl somewhere going through this. No girl should experience this. None at all!!! We need to end FGM!!!
I am sorry Leah, this monster shall one day come down. And we will sing victory songs in the process. We will emerge victorious and our efforts shall not go in vain. End FGM.
We all need to share these stories in order to inspire a lot of Murife out there.
My grandma from Kisii County in Kenya went through this. One day my elder sister and I asked her about it and all that she did was shed tears when explaining the same to us. Just like Murife, she lost her sister to this and always blamed herself for not having her sister be strong as herself. She passed on years later and never really got to tell us her story. Her tears did. This is something that should not be in existence in this century, should never have happened and should never happen anymore. Lets end fgm.
This platform has shown us the power of advocacy. Many of us may not have been aware with the effects of FGM but the call for stories has made us all realize that the effects are not something to smile about. END FGM.
I was afraid for Murife when i read the first paragraph. I was afraid that she was not gong to find help. It was redeemable to see her, not only have saved her cousin but having saved her whole community. I was impressed. It started something in me. A drive.
Good job Joseph, we must all strive to End FGM.