Support survivors of FGM with our Dahlia Project

Manor Gardens Welfare Trust

020 7561 5287

Support survivors of FGM with our Dahlia Project

An appeal by Manor Gardens Welfare Trust

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85%

£128,248

of £150,000

days left

2110

backers

Donate now

About the appeal

Over 137,000 women and girls in England and Wales have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) including pricking, piercing and cutting, and this has lifelong consequences. Trauma, pain, infection, difficulty urinating, complications in childbirth, painful periods and anxiety attacks can affect a woman throughout her life. Many don't know they have had FGM until they try to give birth and it is shrouded in secrecy. Alongside the devastating lifelong physical issues comes the psychological impact which can prevent women leading full and rewarding lives. Most of these vulnerable women have no access to support and advice.

'I was cut when I was 7 years old. It was not until later, when I gave birth to my daughter, that anyone talked to me about FGM and offered me help. FGM is shrouded in secrecy and too many women suffer in silence through many years of pain. At Dahlia Project we break the silence and provide a safe space and therapeutic support. Working with these incredible women who have gone through so much, seeing them heal and support each other, is inspiring.' Leyla Hussein, Founder of Dahlia Project.

During the pandemic we have become aware that FGM has gone undercover in this country. There has been a documented rise in domestic violence and sexual abuse within families. When air travel is permitted we fear that families will be taking their young daughters to other countries to undergo FGM, away from the eye of their school or social circle. The majority of these vulnerable women come from low income households with little access to digital technology and they have become increasingly isolated as most support and therapy has gone online.

Campaigning about violence against women
During our work on FGM we have discovered that some women are also survivors of breast ironing. The practice is said to deter unwanted male attention, sexual harassment, pregnancy, and rape by making young girls look less ‘womanly’ and less sexually appealing. Breast Ironing can result in second-degree burns, bruising, inflammation, infection, and can often cause extreme pain, swelling, fever, and abscess formation. The impact on women's mental health includes psychological distress, depression, anxiety, intense fear, and shame, among others.

Breast ironing is a violation of human rights and an as yet unrecognised form of gender-based violence. Improving sex and reproductive health education, counselling, policymaking, and campaigning is crucial to end this harmful practice. The Dahlia Project is seeking to raise awareness of this issue and provide therapeutic support for survivors. We believe that at least 1,000 girls in the UK are at risk of undergoing the practice, though these estimated figures are likely to be too low.

How the funding will be spent
The Dahlia Project offers FGM survivors life-changing support. Delivered through Manor Gardens, Dahlia Project's therapists are often the first person women are able to tell their stories to and openly discuss how FGM affects their lives.

We need to raise £150,000 to contintue to provide safe and accessible specialist counselling services for women affected by FGM. We run groups online at present and in normal times in locations and at times to suit the women and offer assistance with childcare, transport and bilingual interpreters. Your donation will help us to pay for the experienced FGM therapists and the casworkers who provide counselling and holistic support with external issues affecting their mental health, such as housing, benefits and health appointments. Your donation will also help us campaign to raise awareness of violence against women and how we can all help to stop harmful practices.

85%

£128,248

of £150,000

days left

2110

backers

Donate now

What your gift could provide

£250

pays for an awareness-raising event

£180

pays for one woman to attend a 12-week group session

£50

pays for a therapist for one hour

Latest donations

Nigel Coxon

I made a donation to Manor Gardens Welfare Trust

22/06/2021

£100

Eleanor Scudder

Keep up the amazing work.

18/06/2021

£100

Anonymous

I made a donation to Manor Gardens Welfare Trust

15/06/2021

£20

Stats

Online donations

£97,258.06

Gift Aid

£16,455.99

Raised offline

£30,000.00

Total raised: £144,704.05

Connect

Latest update

Your support has been so amazing! Our services have adapted to work with women online, continuing with counselling and peer support. We have been able to reach even more women with new therapeutic groups and our awareness raising campaign continues across continents. Every penny goes towards the Dahlia Project to enable us to support more survivors of FGM in London. Every extra donation means that we can reach even more women affected by FGM who need our support.