Aslan Shand
Sabine Hellfaier-Fuhrke is walking 300km to raise money for restorative surgeries for victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kenya. Sabine is president of the charity Clitoraid Australasia, an international charity that provides restorative surgeries for victims of FGM around the world.
Female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, female genital cutting and infibulation, is the ritual removal of some or all of a girl’s or woman’s genitalia. The vulva may then be stitched together to prevent sexual intercourse prior to marriage.
There are no health benefits and both the short- and long-term effects are severe.
The shared use of instruments such as razors to cut multiple girls increases the risk of transmission of blood-borne disease such as hepatitis and HIV. FGM also places pregnant women and the foetus at increased risk due to complications during pregnancy and birth.
Clitoraid was inspired by the Raelian movement and began their work in 2006. They have trained several doctors in providing clitoral repair surgery.
‘The Raelians believe that planet Earth was created and is still governed by extra-terrestrials who will one day return to judge humanity. They believe in UFOs and that our purpose on Earth is the pursuit of pleasure,’ according to a BBC report.
‘Clitoraid is indeed a charity inspired by the Raelian philosophy embracing positive, healthy, unrepressed, guilt-free values concerning women’s sexuality and sexual pleasure,’ said a representative of Clitoraid.
Sexual identity
‘Many charities conduct anti-FGM campaigns as we do, but none address the recovery of women’s sexual identity and pleasure with the restoring of the clitoris – the main organ mutilated during FGM. What matters at Clitoraid is not the patient or the volunteer worker’s faith; it is our unique, uninhibited ability to help heal women around the world in their sexuality, whether it be in their flesh or in their mind. Healing women’s sexuality empowers them and helps heal humanity.’
Sabine begins her journey in Leon, Spain, and will walk The Camino over two weeks in May, finishing in Santiago.
‘We have the opportunity to fund 40 surgeries in Kenya this May,’ said Sabine. ‘The total cost is $4,000; that’s $100 for each woman for theatre fees. I will be walking from Leon to the end of The Camino to raise this money.’
Dr Bowers, who will be conducting the surgery, volunteers her time and skill and Clitoraid and Garana co-sponsor surgical costs. However, there are still Kenyan women who are waiting for enough funding to be raised so that they can receive surgery in the next two weeks.
To highlight the need for the awareness of this surgery Clitoraid has declared May as Clitoris Awareness Month.
‘Because the clitoris, exclusively used for sexual pleasure, is still associated with much taboo, speaking about it creates unease even among anti-FGM women’s organisations,’ said the Clitoraid representative.
Donations can be made to Clitoraid Australasia, BSB 082-330, account 857442684.
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