Named one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2013, Kakenya Ntaiya is inspiring change in her native Kenyan village after opening its first primary school for girls.

Kakenya was a victim of female gential mutilation when she was 14, but she negotiated a deal with her father, threatening to run away unless he promised she could finish high school after the ceremony: 

“I really liked going to school,” she said. “I knew that once I went through the cutting, I was going to be married off. And my dream of becoming a teacher was going to end.”

kenya genital mutilation tradition Gender Roles sexism Heroine CNN cnn heroes inspirational

1. global-activism reblogged this from leanin
2. hhparker-blog liked this
3. freedomforeverybody118 liked this
4. awalkerposts liked this
5. mundane-uh reblogged this from leanin
6. nerdiekatie reblogged this from leanin
7. nerdiekatie liked this
8. thingssaidthingsundone liked this
9. leanin posted this