Sahiyo U.S Executive Director Mariya Taher receives the 2024 Champion of Change Award
On October 5th, 2024, Sahiyo U.S. Executive Director Mariya Taher received the 2024 Champion of Change Award, during the annual Asian Women’s Shelter’s (AWS) gala, “Hope and Action: Celebrating 36 Years of The Asian Women’s Shelter” in San Francisco. This award is given to individuals working to end gender-based violence in their communities and in the world. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sahiyo U.S., Mariya has played a key role in the movement to end FGC. Her work with state coalitions has influenced legislation, culminating in anti-FGC laws passed across the U.S., including in Massachusetts and Washington. She has brought the issue to the forefront of public discourse, raising awareness of FGC in the U.S. and abroad through outreach, training, and educational programs. “Receiving this recognition from the Asian Women’s Shelter at their annual gala is a huge deal for me. I was a volunteer with AWS after I graduated from my Master of Social Work program at San Francisco State University in 2010.” Mariya said, “Over the years, both my life and my work have kept me in touch with their organization in many ways. For the past 3 years, I’ve been working with AWS and Amy Hill, at Silence Speaks, to bolster our Voices to End FGM/C digital storytelling project in culturally specific ways, which has been such a gift. Who knew that years after volunteering with them we’d still be working together and building up the capacity of care for survivors of FGM/C in the U.S.” The Voices to End FGM/C program has been transformational, bringing survivors together in a safe space to tell their stories, heal, and connect. The only way we can create effective change is by having survivors at the table telling us what they need and how they want to see this practice end. Mariya’s work has done all of this and so much more, and all of us here at Sahiyo are thrilled to see her receive this remarkable award.
FGC 101 Training for Volunteers at Asian Women’s Shelter
As part of Sahiyo’s long-standing collaboration with the Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS), a training session was held on October 28th to empower incoming volunteers. The training aimed to equip AWS’s dedicated volunteers with essential knowledge and foundational skills for understanding the pressing issue of female genital cutting (FGC), both globally and within their communities in the United States. The training was not about transforming volunteers into experts, but rather about creating a safe and nurturing space for learning and dialogue; Sahiyo and AWS recognize the importance of both fostering an environment where volunteers feel encouraged to learn more about FGC, and providing them with resources to continue the conversation in their communities. Throughout the presentation, an atmosphere of open dialogue prevailed. Volunteers actively engaged in the session, asking numerous questions and reflecting on the content. This dynamic exchange of ideas and information is crucial in breaking the silence that often shrouds FGC. By asking questions and reflecting on the material, the volunteers are taking first steps in becoming advocates for survivors and being able to raise awareness in their communities. The partnership between Sahiyo and AWS is not only about knowledge transfer, but also about building a strong foundation of empathy, understanding, and support. We believe in the power of collective learning and collaboration, and will continue our commitment to empowering voices, strengthening communities, and ending the cycle of silence surrounding FGC.
Survivors Speak: Stories of Healing and Action
Please join Sahiyo, Asian Women’s Shelter, and Silence Speaks on November 28th at 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern for an informal one-hour webinar on trauma-informed storytelling to address gender-based violence. In honor of the 2023 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence global campaign (November 25 through December 10), the three organizations are collaborating to offer a safe, online space for individuals to learn about the theory and practice of behind their years-long trauma-informed, collaborative work to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), and other forms of abuse. In 2018, their Voices to End FGM/C collaborative project was initiated, today it, showcases 75 compelling stories, featuring participants from 19+ countries whose stories have garnered over 99,000 views across multiple social media platforms. These impactful narratives have not only reached a wide audience but have also been the focal point of 13+ public video screenings, in addition to serving as tools for education, community mobilization, and advocacy for justice. The webinar on Nov 28th is being hosted to foster solidarity amongst survivors who have shared their stories and who hope to do so. Register here!
Sahiyo held its 8th Voices to END FGM/C Workshop in California
Sahiyo is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of our 2023 Voices to End FGM/C workshop! This collaborative endeavor, orchestrated by the dedicated teams at Sahiyo U.S., StoryCenter, and the Asian Women’s Shelter, brought together nine extraordinary women from diverse cultures and backgrounds on an inspiring journey of storytelling. The workshop began with two virtual sessions, fostering a profound sense of community and connection as participants joined online from all across the United States. During the second session, participants shared personal narratives around their experience with FGM/C, whether as survivors, advocates, and/or activists, within a supportive story circle. This laid the foundation for the powerful stories that would follow. For the in-person segment, participants met in Berkeley, California to immerse themselves in an enriching, hands-on experience. Over the course of two days, participants learned about the art and different elements of creating a digital story. They worked collaboratively, capturing and combining their voices with moving imagery, and creating videos that beautifully encapsulates the essence of their narratives. In the coming months, these inspiring videos will be finalized and prepared for public debut, becoming powerful tools to further amplify the voices of these women and their advocacy to end FGM/C. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated and supported this workshop, and we eagerly anticipate the impact of these stories as they contribute to the ongoing dialogue and change surrounding this critical issue.
Sahiyo convenes with other OVC grantees in Washington, DC
In 2020 and 2021, the Department of Justice – Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) awarded grants to organizations across the U.S. who deliver community-based programming to end FGC. The goal of this grant was to encourage educating communities and forming community networks of agencies and organizations that were positioned to identify those at risk and respond to survivors. Sahyo, in partnership with Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) and StoryCenter, was awarded one of these three-year grants. At the end of January 2023, Sahiyo U.S.attended the OVC grantee convening in Washington DC. Over the course of the two-day gathering, participants were able to network, discuss challenges and opportunities in their work with FGC survivors, and build strategies and skills to take back and implement in their programming. During the event, Sahiyo’s Executive Director Mariya Taher facilitated two workshops, the first around strategies to build survivor engagement in programming, and the second looking at effective solutions to encourage male engagement in the work to end FGC. To learn more about Sahiyo’s work with AWS, visit our Technical Assistance page.
Research: The impact of integrating FGM/C within domestic violence support services
PRESS RELEASE: Sahiyo & Asian Women’s Shelter Collaborate to Inform Crisis Line for Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
This International Women’s Equality Day Sahiyo and Asian Women’s Shelter Launch Nations First Community-Based, Culturally Responsive Hotline to Support Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting! Across the United States, the Centers for Disease Control estimates over half a million women and girls are impacted or at risk of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Yet, few resources exist to support survivors in their journey toward healing and protecting future generations from this practice. This past year, Sahiyo has collaborated with Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) to expand AWS’s capacity to support survivors of FGM/C. Sahiyo has provided a number of trainings to AWS staff, volunteers, interpreters, and crisis line counselors on understanding the impact of FGM/C on individuals and families in the United States, supporting survivors and their loved ones, and navigating the landscape of limited resources supporting those affected by FGM/C. AWS opened in 1988 with an emergency shelter and a 24/7 multilingual crisis line to support survivors and communities to navigate harms, hardships, and healing related to gender-based violence, particularly domestic violence in immigrant and refugee communities. From its beginnings, AWS has operated at and centered the intersection of culture, violence, language, gender, immigration, nationality, sexuality, and more. Since then, AWS has grown and deepened its commitment to preventing and intervening in gender-based violence. AWS is still a grassroots, culturally grounded organization that centers community engagement and holistic, trauma-informed, peer-based empowerment. The goal of this collaborative project between Sahiyo and AWS is to address gaps in resources for underrepresented populations of survivors in the U.S. in need of support services to reduce the harms of FGM/C. With that in mind, the AWS crisis line will be open to taking calls from FGM/C survivors and impacted communities starting this August 26th, 2022 in honor of Women’s Equality Day. Hotline Operator: San Francisco Asian Women’s Shelter Number: 1-877-751-0880 Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST “Unlike other crisis lines, this crisis line offers survivors and those from impacted communities the opportunity to discuss their questions, concerns, and needs surrounding FGM/C in a judgment-free space without automatically connecting them to law enforcement. The crisis line staff have been thoroughly trained on the physical, mental, and social impacts of FGM/C as well as how to best support survivors in their journey toward healing.” – Mariya Taher, Sahiyo Co-Founder and Executive Director “AWS respects you, your privacy, your experience, and your choices. If you’re wanting a confidential, language and culturally accessible place to talk with someone about the violence you’re experiencing, witnessing, anticipating, and/or trying to avoid or escape, please call whenever you’re ready. AWS will never share your personal information, and you will be in control of what you choose to share or not share. Culture and violence can interact in a way that can be doubly intimate and devastating. We are here to support you.” – Orchid Pusey, Asian Women’s Shelter Executive Director To learn more about the project and this new resource for FGM/C survivors, contact Mariya Taher, mariya@sahiyo.org About the Collaborators: Sahiyo’s mission is to empower Asian and other communities to abandon the practice of FGM/C through education, collaboration, and dialogue based on community involvement. Founded in 2015, Sahiyo aims to enable a culture in which a woman/girl’s body and female sexuality is not feared or suppressed but embraced as normal. Sahiyo has 7-years of experience working with communities to empower people to end FGM/C and support survivors. Asian Women’s Shelter’s mission is to eliminate domestic violence by promoting the social, economic, and political self-determination of women and all survivors of violence and oppression. AWS was founded in 1988 to address the urgent and unmet needs of survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, especially those who are limited English proficient immigrant or refugee women, children, LGBTQ+/GNB people, and/or youth. This project was produced by Sahiyo and Asian Women’s Shelter under 15POVC-21-GG-00988-NONF, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this project are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Introducing a community-based, culturally-responsive Support Line for FGC survivors
This past year, Sahiyo has collaborated with Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) on a number of trainings to educate staff, volunteers, and crisis line workers on the impact of FGC in the United States, as well as how to support survivors of FGC. The goal of this collaborative project between Sahiyo and AWS is to address gaps in resources for survivors from underrepresented populations within the U.S. who need support services to reduce the harms of FGC. With that in mind, the AWS crisis line will be open for taking calls from FGC survivors and impacted communities starting on August 26th, 2022 in honor of Women’s Equality Day. Hotline Operator: San Francisco Asian Women’s Shelter Number: 1-877-751-0880 Hours of Operation: Monday thru Friday, 9 to 5 pm PST
Sahiyo collaborates further with Asian Women’s Shelter to support Survivors
Since January 2022, Sahiyo has been in collaboration with Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) to increase capacity of services for survivors of female genital cutting (FGC). In June, Sahiyo conitnued with trainings on FGC for the AWS staff and volunteers to help educate their organization on the context of FGC in the United Stataes, who FGC impacts, and considerations around how to work with survivors and communities impacted by FGC. Asian Women’s Shelter is 501c3 with the mission to eliminate domestic violence by promoting the social, economic and political self-determination of women and all survivors of violence and oppression. AWS is committed to every person’s right to live in a violence-free home, and has a specific focus towards addressing the cultural and language needs of immigrant, refugee, and U.S.-born Asian and Arab women and their children. These trainings organized by Sahiyo are part of a larger 3-year project Sahiyo is undertaking in partnership with AWS and StoryCenter withfunding from the Department of Justice – Office of Victim’s of Crime , to better integrate FGC into mainstream and culturally specific gender-based violence prevention and support organizations in order to bolster overall support and capacity of care for survivors of FGC within the United States. Read more about AWS trainings.
Sahiyo hosts Asian Women’s Shelter training
On March 24th, 2022 Sahiyo hosted an inaugural training on female genital cutting (FGC) for Asian Women’s Shelter staff and their crisis line counselors who operate their hotline for have undergone or experienced domestic violence or sexual assault. This training created by Sahiyo provided a basic overview of FGC, including what it is, who it occurs to, why it occurs, and the negative health and social repercussions connected to FGC. Additionally, how FGC impacts communities in the United States was examined and discussed. This training is part of a larger Sahiyo initiative to integrate knowledge of FGC into larger gender-based violence prevention services across the United States to better support survivors of female genital cutting. To learn more about the project, visit here.