FORWARD UK - TuWezeshe Young Women’s Leadership Programme

FORWARD recently partnered with the Gambia-based Think Young Women to implement their TuWezeshe Young Women’s Leadership Programme. 

The programme, implemented under the UN-EU Spotlight Initiative, provided young Gambian feminists the opportunity to undergo leadership training and design a social action project (SAP).

Fellows Praise Gimba and Sally Njie used the powerful tool of the music video to implement their SAP. In an effort to end FGM in their country, the inspiring activists employed their artistic and musical flair to create a compelling video depicting the profound harm FGM inflicts on girls. The video then contrastingly presents an alternative happy and healthy FGM-free life that is stolen from girls who have been cut. Striking a harmonious balance between traditional and modern musical styles, the song uses three different languages – English, Mandinka and Wolof – to reach as many communities as possible with the crucial message that FGM is illegal, harmful to girls and a violation of health and human rights. Praise and Sally also invited up-and-coming Gambian artists Awa Bling and Maryama Cham to lend their vocals to the track to further spread this important message.

The Cut No More video was released during Women’s History Month 2022 and can be watched in full here.