Who We Are

Mission Statement

Organize fundraisers and engaging activities for people of all backgrounds and ages, that will bring them together with the purpose of learning about the horrors of Female Genital Mutilation, and donating to help stop it.

Vision Statement

Thousands of young girls, all over Africa, safe from the threat of Female Genital Mutilation, receiving shelter, counseling, and education, allowing them to live their lives happy and fulfilled.

Why Save Our Girls?

Co-Founders Leonor and Neesha, two young girls who have lived in Africa,  have always had an utmost passion for discussing and preaching for Women's Rights. They started Save Our Girls around tackling Female Genital Mutilation because they believe that, if over 4 million girls their age, or younger, are at risk of FGM each year, then they have the duty to speak out and do something about it. They know that it is a real problem, although often overlooked, due to many refusing to speak about it, or saying it isn't an issue for teenagers. 

When they met Rhobi Samwelly and heard about her safe house, they took it as a great opportunity to commence helping. As they started fundraising, they realized how lucky they are to live in communities where people care and are willing to give their money for a good cause. This entices hope in us, for the future, for Save Our Girls, but especially for the girls benefiting from these donations.

What problem is Save Our Girls tackling and how?

Save Our Girls  is addressing Female Genital Mutilation in Africa, and looking to support safe houses protecting girls from it. Their first project targeted a specific safe house in the Mara region of Tanzania, run by survivor of FGM herself, Rhobi Samwelly.

Running a safe house is hard, owners are constantly working, trying to save the most girls possible. After girls are saved, they need constant care: soap, school supplies, bed sheets etc... Most safe houses do not receive government funding, so owners have to pay for all these appliances and supplies themselves, and pay staff (although there are many volunteers). 

Save Our Girls found, through  research, that an effective thing we can do from across the globe is to donate, providing these safe houses with what they need to house the most girls possible, adequately (i.e. more money pays for more supplies and allows for greater housing capacity).

Save Our Girls then expanded it's project to tackle the root of the issue : the beliefs behind the practice. We partenered with Debbo e Bawde, an organisation in Mali led by Dioro Cisse. Through this collaboration, Save Our Girls funds community trainings during which government officials, doctors, lawyers, religious leaders and even former excisers come together in the communities where FGM is practiced the most. Thorough discussions and sharings of knowledge and experiences aim to shed light on the subject and convince as many as possible to stop the practice.   

In this same goal of raising awareness among communities in an effort to bring an end to FGM, Save Our Girls funds radio shows, broadcasted in Mali also with government officials, doctors, religious leaders and even former excisers. The broader population is also welcomed and we receive multiple calls of women sharing their personal experiences being cut.  

Through funding safe houses and awareness interventions, Save Our Girls tackles Female Genital Mutilation from a variety of aspects.