By Domingo Dargbeh
The Executive Director of Our Future Foundations (OCF), Madam Josephine Barclay, has characterized the heralded Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as a practice that inflicts on its victims severe physical, psychological, and cultural consequences.
Madam Barclay, gave the description of the practice on Monday, December 15, 2025, at the launch of a four-day awareness workshop.
The ceremony is being held in Careysburg, Lower Montserrado County.
The workshop aims to prevent the traditional practice of FGM.
It seeks to empower young women with accurate information, while promoting the protection of their rights, dignity, and overall well-being.
Madam Barclay said the OCF is training over 150 participants, including traditional leaders and ‘zoes,’ on the harmful effects of female circumcision or the FGM. The workshop promotes behavioral change through culturally sensitive dialogue, encouraging communities to critically examine and challenge the traditional norms that sustain the practice.
It is designed to educate community members, particularly young women and girls, about the dangers and long-term consequences of FGM, a harmful traditional practice that continues to affect women and girls.
“This initiative is not about confrontation, but about dialogue, understanding, and protecting the future of our girls,” Madam Barclay noted.
Additionally, she said the program aims to build local advocacy capacity by equipping women, youth, and ‘zoes’ with the skills needed to serve as community champions against the practice.
The awareness workshop is being implemented with support from Switzerland through Abidjan, La Cote d’ivoire.
It forms part of OCF’s broader mission to eliminate harmful traditional practices, and promote girls’ education in the country.
Youngor Fahn, Head of Women ‘Zoe’ in the district, commended OCF for the initiative.
Madam Fahn appealed to the organization and its partners to provide vocational training and empowerment opportunities for the ‘zoes.’
She said many ‘zoes’ (traditional leaders) in Careysburg are “economically vulnerable, and there is a pressing need for the government and development partners to create job opportunities for the ‘zoes’ nationwide.”
The job creation would serve as a sustainable alternative to harmful traditional practices.
Meanwhile, participant Mamasan Kromah, praised the organizers for the “timely intervention.” Madam Kromah encouraged young girls to remain in school.
She also called on parents, community elders, and traditional leaders to fully support efforts to end FGM in their respective communities.
The four-day awareness workshop is featuring group discussions, presentations, and community engagement activities; all geared toward fostering informed dialogue, protecting girls’ rights, and promoting a safer future for women and girls.