Photo: © TERRE DES FEMMESOn Saturday, 22nd of July 2017, Sister Fa, activist and musician, organized an event for African communities at the family centre Horizonte in the berlin disctrict of Reinickendorf.

Sister Fa, who is also actively engaged against FGM with TERRE DES FEMMES, organized together with TDF CHANGE Agent Isatou Barry and other activists from African countries the event „How do we protect ourselves against violence – shall we talk or what else?!“. Different aspects of violence, including FGM, were discussed, illustrated by many examples. Our CHANGE Agent Barry was able to encourage an interesting discussion about the negative aspects and also new strategies to end female genital mutilation.

Foto: © TERRE DES FEMMESOn 20th of July 2017 the CHANGE Agents of the CHANGE Plus project met for their 8th exchange meeting. The CHANGE Agents, who were trained to become multipliers in the fight against female genital mutilation last year, are now engaged to sensitize and inform in the African communities.

This Thursday afternoon the team CHANGE met to reflect about the last activities and talk about their work.

On Saturday, 8th of July 2017, the Berlin CHANGE Agents of the EU-wide CHANGE Plus project to end female genital mutilation (FGM) met for their 6th exchange meeting. This meeting was organized by CHANGE agent Tiranke Diallo. TERRE DES FEMMES experts Dr. Idah Nabateregga and Charlotte Weil spoke of general current developments of FGM and the CHANGE Plus project.

On Sunday, 25th of of June, the day of the end of Ramadan, CHANGE agent Tiranke Diallo form Guinea of the Mama Africa Association togehter with Senegalese FGM activist and urban soul and hip hop singer Fatou Diatta „Sister Fa“ raised awareness on FGM. On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, Sister Fa invited the Westafrican community to her house. Sister Fa and Tiranke Diallo seized the opportunity to talk about FGM and the risks for women and girls with their guests to encourage discussions about the topic.

Within the CHANGE Plus project, which is co-funded by the EU, our CHANGE agent Tiranke Diallo conducted her first community activity with Guinean women in June in Berlin.

The women meet regularly once a month to exchange their opinions about different topics. They especially talk about news from their home country, but also about life in germany, activities, families and more in an intimate atmosphere. After Tiranke made contact to get to know the women better, she was able to carry out her first activity.

On Sunday, 4th of June 2017, CHANGE agent Colette Tchombou organized her second „behaviour change activity“ with the men of a Cameroonian community association. Her first activity took place on 21st of May.

As the other five CHANGE agents from Berlin, Colette last year took part in trainings regarding FGM in general, ist consequences and risks. She is now implmenting this knowledge in her community in Berlin to sensitize as many people as possible and to finally end FGM.

Photo: © TERRE DES FEMMESOn Saturday, the 13th of May 2017, our CHANGE Agent Evariste Franz Kapnang Tchaptchet from Cameroon organized a behaviour change activity in the refugee camp in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.

In order to get in contact with the refugees living in the camp, Evariste organized an afternoon barbecue event. The sunny weather and the invitation for a joint meal attracted many men and women. With the support of his wife Tiranke Diallo and her brother Souleymane Diallo from Guinea, Evarista sensitized and raised awareness about Female Genital Mutilation and its severe consequences and implications.

CHANGE Champions will engage with European stakeholders to promote their claims for EU-wide action on ending FGM

On September 25th and 26th 2017, the Lobbying and Advocacy Event of the CHANGE Plus project will take place in Brussels. This is a major opportunity to bring our messages and demands across to the political and policy-making realm.

Our CHANGE Champions, the experienced community-based activists who have conducted multiple behaviour change activities and have been mentors to the new CHANGE Agents, have also been trained to engage with local/national and European politicians and key stakeholders to promote a better environment for the prevention of and the response to FGM. On September 26th, the CHANGE Champions will bring their policy demands to EU high-level stakeholders.