SheTale Media Network

The busy sounds of traders bargaining and customers moving from stall to stall fill the air at Basse Market. Among the rows of fresh vegetables sits Jarri Bobo Camara, carefully arranging her produce while speaking passionately about an issue that has deeply affected women in her community for generations — female ge***al mutilation (FGM).

Born and raised in Basse, Jarri grew up believing FGM was a normal tradition every girl was expected to go through.

Speaking to this reporter in April 2026, Jarri said, “My personal understanding of FGM is that it is a tradition performed on girls.
Growing up in my community and in the society I lived in, FGM was viewed as something that should be practised on every female child.”
But as she grew older, Jarri began to question the practice and the suffering many women silently endured after undergoing it.

“I started questioning FGM when I heard people say that girls who go through the practice may experience marriage differently from girls who have not,” she explains. “That is where I saw the difference, especially among Wolof communities where many people do not practice FGM.”

At Basse Market, Jarri Bobo Camara Raises Her Voice Against FGM - SheTale Media Network The busy sounds of traders bargaining and customers moving from stall to stall fill the air at Basse Market. Among the rows of fresh vegetables sits Jarri Bobo Camara, carefully arranging her produce while speaking passionately about an issue that has deeply affected women in her community for gener...

For generations, conversations about marriage, women’s wellbeing, and female ge***al mutilation (FGM) were rarely discussed openly among men in Basse Manneh K***a. Many women suffered in silence while harmful traditions continued unquestioned. But through the emergence of the Fathers Club, some men in the community are beginning to challenge old beliefs and create space for dialogue inside their homes and within the wider village.

Among those leading this change is Bubacarr Malafi Sanyang, the Village Development Committee (VDC) chairman, who believes that lasting peace in families can only happen when husbands and wives communicate openly and respect each other’s voices. Inspired by discussions organised through the Fathers Club and community sensitisation programs, Sanyang says listening to women share their experiences with FGM changed his perspective on the practice.

When Men Begin to Listen: Fathers Club Sparks Change in Basse Manneh K***a - SheTale Media Network For generations, conversations about marriage, women’s wellbeing, and female ge***al mutilation (FGM) were rarely discussed openly among men in Basse Manneh K***a. Many women suffered in silence while harmful traditions continued unquestioned. But through the emergence of the Fathers Club, some me...

One of the most profound changes in Jatta’s life came through discussions around FGM.

He admitted that before joining the Fathers Club, he never questioned the practice because it had long been accepted as part of tradition. However, after attending community discussions and listening carefully to health experts and fellow community members, his perspective underwent a complete change.

“That meeting was the day I became convinced that FGM should stop,” he said.

“When people explained the harm it causes to women, I realised this is something we must address seriously,” Jatta emphasised that seeking medical help is proof that harm exists.

“If something does not harm you, you do not go looking for treatment,” he explained. “The amount of suffering women go through because of FGM is too much.”

From Tradition to Transformation: How Fathers Clubs Are Changing Minds in Basse Manneh K***a - SheTale Media Network In the quiet community of Basse Manneh K***a, conversations that were once considered impossible are now taking place openly among men and women, thanks to the growing influence of the Fathers Club. For Sainey Jatta, one of the club’s earliest members, joining the initiative became a turning point...