This archive report was first published on 5 June 2020.
On a mission to break the silence surrounding female genital mutilation (FGM), a group of courageous refugees from Kakuma refugee camp have turned to the power of film to tell their stories.
One such refugee, Aminah Rwimo, a Congolese national, has been a vocal advocate against FGM since she witnessed its devastating effects firsthand while working at a hospital in the camp nine years ago.
Her journey began in 2015 when she won the Best Director award at the FilmAid Film Festival, and on Thursday, her dream was realised when FilmAid Kenya and Amnesty International premiered her film 'It Has Killed My Mother' at a packed auditorium.
Through her short drama, Rwimo hopes to start a conversation on the effects of FGM, a backdated right of passage ritual that only brings harm to young girls and women.
As she so eloquently puts it, 'In Kakuma many women are prevented from achieving their goals because of some of the cultures and beliefs. Those who can talk on their behalf should be telling their story through visual communication and make the changes they need to regain control of their lives.'
Her film, which captures the effects of FGM through a heartfelt love story set at the Kakuma refugee camp, is a testament to the resilience and determination of refugees like Rwimo who are fighting to break the stigma surrounding FGM.
As Abdul Patient, a refugee from Burundi and the cinematographer of 'It Has Killed My Mother', notes, FilmAid has been instrumental in helping refugees like him launch their own production companies and tell their stories through film.
