Sahiyo Teams Up With Womankind for an FGC 101 Training
On August 14th 2024, Sahiyo U.S. Advisory Board Member, Kaneez Madraswalla, led a FGC 101 training in collaboration with Womankind in New York City. Womankind is a leading organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual violence. They offer multilingual and culturally responsive services to all with a particular focus on Asian communities. The training served as an important first step in raising awareness about FGC among Womankind’s team. Some attendees shared their personal experiences, whether that involved coming from a culture that practices FGC or knowing someone who has been impacted. This exchange of stories and insights highlighted the importance of the work we’re doing to raise awareness and support survivors. This introductory session laid the groundwork for Womankind to integrate FGC awareness into their community support efforts. By initiating this dialogue, we are opening the door to further education, support, and advocacy, taking crucial steps to protect and uplift those impacted by FGC.
Sahiyo in D.C.! Key Insights from Our In-Person Meeting with DOJ OVW Partners
Earlier this year, we were honored to join forces with the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the U.S. End FGM/C Network, and the Global Woman PEACE Foundation (GWPF) to address FGC across the United States. This initiative, funded by a $300,000 grant from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (DOJ-OVW), marks a significant step forward in our fight to end FGC. Throughout this project, our dedicated team will conduct listening sessions, offer comprehensive training and technical assistance (T&TA), and develop online resources to enhance the capacity of state agency partners and community service providers in supporting FGC survivors. This initiative represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to create a safer and more supportive environment for impacted individuals. On June 20, 2024, we hosted an impactful in-person meeting at George Washington University with our project partners. This gathering allowed us to review the project timeline in great depth and align on progress and upcoming milestones. A highlight of the meeting was reviewing the data we have collected thus far from the listening sessions, which provided invaluable insights into the knowledge, strengths, and needs of the grantees regarding FGC awareness and understanding. This data-driven approach initiated rich discussions and brainstorming sessions among the partners, emphasizing the importance of organizing our T&TA as a learning collaborative. We explored ideas for creating a toolkit of case studies and guided sessions by subject matter experts to facilitate peer learning. Our goal is to build a framework for ongoing support and capacity building in FGC prevention and response, recognizing that this is a journey we undertake together, pioneering new efforts and approaches in addressing FGC. We look forward to sharing some of our recent findings with federal agencies in a meeting later this month. Our goal is to inspire and advocate for additional federal funding and support for these efforts nationwide, recognizing that our strength lies in our collective commitment and collaboration.
My time at the 2023 Peer-to-Peer National ARP Convening
In October 2023, Sahiyo’s Community Engagement Coordinator Samman Masud as well as long-time Sahiyo volunteer and Activists Retreat planning committee member Umme Kulsoom Arif attended the 2023 Peer-to-Peer National American Rescue Plan (ARP) Convening in Washington D.C. The three-day convention welcomed representatives from over 40 non-profit organizations throughout the U.S. to join other grantees of the ARP Support for Survivors Program. Sahiyo U.S. was awarded as one of the subgrantees in April 2023 to build out its promising Activists Retreat program. A sub-grant under the 2021 American Rescue Plan Grant, the ARP Support for Survivors Program caters to culturally-specific, community-based projects for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault from Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Communities in the U.S. and the Pacific. Leadership from various organizations led plenary sessions to address accomplishments and challenges involved in survivor-centered relief work for under-served and underrepresented communities of color impacted by gender-based violence. In addition to attending presentations and workshops, Sahiyo representatives received opportunities to network with other organizations through a variety of events including a cultural evening, an interactive Indian dance performance, a Paraguayan bottle dance, and a Native American closing ceremony to conclude the gathering. “The ARP convention was an eye-opening experience. I listened to speakers from the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, SCESA, and Ujima, among many others. I understood the impact of investment in organizations that seek to address the very unique needs of communities of color impacted by gender-based violence. Already vulnerable due to the intersecting systems of violence and power structures that continue to marginalize communities of color in the U.S., survivors often need culturally sensitive approaches to address domestic violence, sexual abuse, and female genital cutting (FGC). To hear the accomplishments and challenges of groups engaged in this work revealed the potential of grassroots level advocacy and community-led organizations. While there is a lot of work to be done in the gender-based violence space, the feminist solidarity I saw at the convention gave me immense hope about what this growing network can achieve: a future free from violence for all people.” -Samman Masud
Upcoming webinar on building a social justice-oriented organization
Title: From Idea to Fruition: Building an Organization from the Ground-up and the Learning JourneyDate: Mon, Nov 13th, 2023Time: 2:30-4 pm ET / 11:30-1 pm PT Mariya Taher is one of the five co-founders of Sahiyo. Sometimes she feels as if she accidentally started an organization, though starting an organization is by no means an easy feat (even when someone is passionate about a topic). For the past nine months, Mariya has been taking part in the VALOR LEAP program, a mentorship program for women of color leaders working in gender-based violence. In connection with her fellowship, she will be hosting a webinar she hopes will support other future nonprofit founders. Founders from across the VALOR LEAP Cohorts will come together for a discussion on what led them to found their organizations and the lessons (both challenges and successes) that they have encountered along the way. Mariya Taher will moderate, with Strong Oak Lefebvre, April Barbosa, Tonije Reese, and Sanjana Khan as speakers. Learn more about speakers here. Objectives of Webinar: To hear the stories of founders of various organizations and what motivated them To connect founders in the gender-based violence space with one another To develop lessons learned and key takeaways in terms of what to know and or be aware of when considering founding an organization Register for the webinar here.
Mariya Taher awarded spot in LEAP’s newest cohort
Sahiyo U.S. is proud to announce that Mariya Taher, Sahiyo Co-Founder and U.S. Executive Director, is one of the new LEAP Leaders, joining Cohort 9! For the past ten years, the LEAP (Leadership Education and Advancement for Professionals) program has created a container where leaders of color can learn, strategize, and build community with each other. LEAP has brought together leaders from across the United States and territories to cultivate a multi-racial network of leaders striving to define what being an executive leader in the gender-based violence field looks like and to expand opportunities for advancement through professional development and networking. Learn more about the LEAP program here.
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.