Blog: Health Matters

Do you have 10 minutes? Did you know that you can introduce the FAWCO Target Project in 10 minutes or less at a board meeting or general club meeting as an option for your club’s fundraising?

Audience: 

For FAWCO Reps and Club Presidents

Purpose: 

To help your Club understand and become an advocate of Safe Alternatives for Female Genital Mutilation Elimination (S.A.F.E.), the 2020-2022 Target Project and learn how to be an ally in eradicating female genital mutilation (FGM).

Outcome:

You will learn more about the Target Program and Project, what the project is all about and what you, as a board member and individual, can do.     

The goal of this roadmap is to give you the steps to raise interest in the Target Project. These steps will help you to organize a virtual workshop for your club membership. The Target Project workshop is 60-90 minutes long and will address the history of the Target Project and help you to understand it in a clear and concise manner. Following the workshop, there are several events, books and additional information that you can share for those interested in learning more. You will find these listed further down in this document.   

5 steps:

1. Become knowledgeable about the Target Program with the outcome of a deeper understanding of the FAWCO Target Program and the selected Target Project.
2. Become knowledgeable about the Target Project 2020-2022.
3. Watch/show the (3-minute) trailer to the documentary In the Name of your Daughter that shows Rhobi Samwelly and the girls of Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania in action.
4. Review these suggested fundraising opportunities. You can share these with philanthropy and board members in your club.
   • We are aware that not all clubs will fundraise for the Target Project, but we would like to suggest that you still should create awareness about the Target Program and Project for your membership to ensure an understanding of the important topic addressed in the Target Project.    
5. Schedule a workshop for your board and club members. What is S.A.F.E. and FGM? is a meeting dedicated to S.A.F.E. and learning more about FGM; this will provide an opportunity for club members to ask questions and gain clarity on the Target Program and Project.
   • Now, take action and get these workshops on your club/board calendar.
     • Schedule your workshop with Tharien van Eck, Target Program Chair through Melanie Baur (). For more information, please contact the Target Program Chair, Tharien van Eck, at .
     • For more information on fundraising or to schedule a workshop, please contact Julie Lehr, the Target Fundraising Coordinator at .    

Additional steps and resources:

1. Share the Target Project flyer with the board members. This flyer provides a high level overview of the project and the impact of funds donated to the project.   
2. Watch the (21-minute) video that was made by Rhobi and the girls of Hope in Tanzania for the Target Project announcement on March 21, 2020 to become more knowledgeable about Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania and S.A.F.E. as the Target Project. 
3. Join a FAWCO-wide screening or arrange a screening for your club of the (84-minute) documentary In the Name of Your Daughter and the Q&A following the screening. All screenings must be arranged with Tharien van Eck, Target Chair. Giselle Pontenier, the filmmaker, joins where possible for the Q&A. 
4. Create awareness of and join meetings with special guest speakers scheduled by Target Team that address different aspects of FGM. You will find these scheduled on the FAWCO events calendar, Facebook, the News in Brief and the monthly Target Bulletin. 
5. Review the book list developed by the Target Team addressing FGM. Please contact Tharien van Eck at if you have a book suggestion that you would like to share. This will help you develop a deeper understanding of the topic of FGM by exploring the global stories and different perspectives.