https://www.hodamali.com/in-media daily 0.75 2024-07-12 https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/ending-fgmc-in-primary-schools monthly 0.5 2024-07-12 https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/end-fgm-project-conference monthly 0.5 2023-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/8e657631-63ed-4939-8e39-20c10bc19b9b/IMG_2370.jpg In Media - End FGM Project Conference 6 Years on, the conference brought together the incredible team that created this project and the community that was involved, reflecting on the work that has been achieved, and all the work that is yet to be done. Hoda Ali, co-founder of The Vavengers, and Project Lead and Facilitator of the END FGM Project, opened the conference and welcomed everyone to this celebratory space. As a survivor and activist, Hoda is as inspiring as she is passionate about educating the next generation and preventing any more girls being cut. We were honoured to be joined by Julie Lewis (left, middle), Director of Learning, Standards and School Partnerships, who spoke about the incredible impact of the project, both on staff members and parents, many of whom knew little about FGM/C and now feel confident and equipped in their knowledge. Councillor Aysha Raza (below, left) also joined us, an incredible advocate for VAWG in Ealing, told us how integral this project is for change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/cdaa0291-8b46-4bc3-88f3-116f869f747e/IMG_2447.jpg In Media - End FGM Project Conference - We were joined by Leyla Hussein who dialled in from Kenya, who spoke about the effect of FGM on mental health in children, and reminded us that language is important: FGM is a violation of human rights, it is child abuse and ‘perpetrators’ are criminals - nothing less. Sema spoke vulnerably and honestly about her own childhood, that support would have been so beneficial to her and her family, had teachers seen the signs of modern day slavery, child marriage and abusive households. Now CEO of The Vavengers, Sema advocates for social justice and is on many government boards. She highlighted the work of charities, and the need for school projects to prevent and lessen the impact of generational trauma. We were also joined by Ealing Councillor Hodan Haili who retold the story of a tragic incident, a story that changed the course of her life and after which she made sure that she would dedicate her work to VAWG. Our two last speakers are integral within their communities: Huda Mohamed is a Gold Chief Midwifery Officer at Whittington NHS Trust Hospital. She spoke about the medical complications that FGM/C causes and the importance of parents and teachers being able to recognise and understand signs of a girl being pressure into being subjected to FGM/C. Warda Mohamed, Co-Founder and CEO of Lasting Support Services spoke about training available to schools and young people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/7e720ca3-1d4d-443f-87de-ec419c5b12e7/IMG_2432.jpg In Media - End FGM Project Conference Karen Gibson (right, right), a co-founding member of the project, retold the story of how the project came about, and how as a mother of two girls, she knew it was something she wanted to be part of. She highlighted John Lyon Charity’s funding and their amazing support throughout this project. Sian and Sarah, (previously at Perivale Primary) spoke about being the first school to host this project and how the project came to life in their school. We learnt that over the past five years, in over 30 schools, just under 5000 staff and parents have attended workshops on FGM/C and safeguarding, learning everything about the topic; from the law and reporting methods, to the signs children might show when they might be or already have been subjected to FGM/C. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1696258723446-WM03JCNL3RQXYMLQ5WOF/IMG_2346.JPG In Media - End FGM Project Conference https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1696258723882-N79N3K2RD7UENAPF3QIB/IMG_2348.JPG In Media - End FGM Project Conference https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1696258733854-2ZSQK0PKWJLTJZXH0PUO/IMG_2349.JPG In Media - End FGM Project Conference https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1696258734126-LDZ5Y9RV7HE1MDZ7EEGJ/IMG_2351.JPG In Media - End FGM Project Conference https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/scarlet-udaan-hosts-hoda-ali-for-a-podcast-episode monthly 0.5 2022-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/93938854-87cf-4f9e-914d-d5f7f934bef3/Screenshot+2022-07-04+at+17.18.58.png In Media - Scarlet Udaan hosts Hoda Ali for a podcast episode - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-alis-story-gets-told-in-the-luckiest-girl-alive-show monthly 0.5 2022-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/a4e3a24b-3c82-4ec9-8398-d09b21fe96fe/Screenshot+2022-07-11+at+10.54.25.png In Media - Hoda Ali’s story gets told in the Luckiest Girl Alive show - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/719cf1a5-f6b3-45bd-8df6-6ad161060990/Screenshot+2022-07-11+at+10.54.36.png In Media - Hoda Ali’s story gets told in the Luckiest Girl Alive show - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-ali-featured-in-channel-4-the-cruel-cut-documentary monthly 0.5 2022-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/019b529d-69d3-4da4-b113-47c46f7d4be2/Screenshot+2022-07-10+at+23.50.01.png In Media - Hoda ali featured in channel 4 the cruel cut documentary - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-ali-featured-in-bbc-stop-cutting-our-girls-documentary monthly 0.5 2022-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/3a1deea0-ba50-4f41-88f3-3ca4716e5a8d/Screenshot+2022-07-10+at+23.41.40.png In Media - Hoda ali featured in bbc stop cutting our girls documentary - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-ali-speaks-at-tedx-with-dr-leyla-hussein-on-power-of-sisterhood monthly 0.5 2022-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/51efd209-2ff1-4394-b5a2-eeb026500eb5/Screenshot+2022-07-10+at+23.30.48.png In Media - Hoda ali speaks at tedx with dr Leyla Hussein on power of sisterhood - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/6bfc6153-7ff6-480f-9e07-b431f5642c87/Screenshot+2022-07-10+at+23.33.27.png In Media - Hoda ali speaks at tedx with dr Leyla Hussein on power of sisterhood - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-ali-nominated-as-an-amnesty-international-human-rights-defender monthly 0.5 2022-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/421bebce-7e04-4fa3-9629-cadd11470467/Hoda-Ali-1.jpg In Media - Hoda ali nominated as an Amnesty International Human Rights Defender - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/5gss8rylwlkhlb0y87zjg1zxf1y4ni monthly 0.5 2022-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/51517438-68e1-4508-a751-c8b1e0e6c3ab/WhatsApp+Image+2022-07-07+at+5.04.35+PM.jpeg In Media - Hoda ali featured in uk’s first anti-fgm billboard campaign - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/220a7007-3bef-41cb-87a0-0c72bf1d3a22/Screenshot+2022-06-30+at+15.09.06.png In Media - Hoda ali featured in uk’s first anti-fgm billboard campaign - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-ali-featured-in-the-face-of-defiance monthly 0.5 2022-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1654363620111-JW4TF1QCUGJ63U3VWYNN/mw286059.jpg In Media - Hoda Ali Featured in The face of defiance Bright natural dining room nook with vases plates and fruits on the table. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/ee26afd1-7832-417b-ba02-e42c1e1db846/Screenshot+2022-07-10+at+22.56.09.png In Media - Hoda Ali Featured in The face of defiance - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-ali-featured-in-channel-4-100-vaginas-documentary monthly 0.5 2022-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657468071559-KWWDU0XB3O972AK6Z9BA/Screenshot+2022-07-10+at+16.47.36.png In Media - Hoda Ali featured In Channel 4 - 100 Vaginas Documentary Pretty Caucasian woman at the beach smiling at camera. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/hoda-ali-voiced-orchid-projects-bbc-radio-4-appeal monthly 0.5 2022-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/db4978e0-9ae1-4c43-b7b4-94f3ef54fe86/DSC01324-1024x683.jpg In Media - Hoda Ali Voiced Orchid Project’s BBC Radio 4 Appeal Scenic shot of the beach with waves hitting the rocks. https://www.hodamali.com/in-media/a-village-in-senegal-taught-me-how-we-can-end-female-genital-cutting-globally monthly 0.5 2022-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/b6aba5e8-039b-49e5-b5d4-7cf5935c0ab1/embrace.jpg In Media - A village in Senegal taught me how we can end female genital cutting globally Happy smiling woman with curly hair lounging on couch. https://www.hodamali.com/blog-1 daily 0.75 2025-06-20 https://www.hodamali.com/blog-1/Blog Post Title One-rdm3r monthly 0.5 2020-08-27 https://www.hodamali.com/blog-1/blog-post-title-two-2ycb5 monthly 0.5 2020-05-20 https://www.hodamali.com/blog-1/blog-post-title-three-bagx9 monthly 0.5 2020-05-20 https://www.hodamali.com/blog-1/blog-post-title-four-6p5fj monthly 0.5 2020-05-20 https://www.hodamali.com/home daily 1.0 2024-04-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/8ef4040c-aed8-4134-85b9-ce368253cde3/WhatsApp+Image+2022-07-07+at+3.09.47+PM.jpg Home - 1978 I was born in Somaliland to a loving family, the first born of my father Mohammed Ali Abtidon and the second daughter of my mother Anab Ali Abdi. I was one of the seven siblings in a home where we were all treated with respect and given the space to do whatever we wanted to do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/52c32149-aeca-4290-864b-508d685a991b/WhatsApp+Image+2022-07-07+at+3.42.50+PM.jpg Home - 1985 With my sisters, we would go to the beach every Friday, enjoy climbing the mango trees to pick the ripest fruits ever and I would feed my monkey the freshest bananas. Life was beautiful until it wasn’t. This was the year my sister and I both got cut. We thought it was a day of celebration, felt just like Christmas until the cutting happened. We found out soon enough that was far from the truth, which shaped the rest of our lives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/e1275a7a-9098-4522-8b36-d0d028003ebb/levi-meir-clancy-LheHIV3XpGM-unsplash.jpg Home - 1988 I was eight when the Somali war broke out in Hargeisa. It was the week after Eid and my younger sister and I were given the most beautiful dresses to wear. I still remember mine: a white dress with red flowers and a bow around the waist. I felt like a princess. My oldest sister shook me out of my sleep. ‘Get up. We have to go.’ Even though I was little I knew things weren’t right. There had been gunshots in my dreams, but no one explains war to a child. ‘Can’t we wait for mum and dad?’ ‘No, they’ll meet us later.’ ‘Can I pack my dress?’ My sister was already dragging me out the door. ‘There’s no need. We’ll come back for it. Now we have to go.’ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/0d963db4-f756-4bdd-b9c1-82be38a24761/yasin-yusuf-zSqKAzhPdLQ-unsplash.jpg Home - 1988 We walked through the Naasa Hablood mountains for nearly two weeks to get to our new home, Mogadishu. I thought this was our new home. I went to school again and made new friends. Life returned to normal - a few years later in 1991, aged thirteen, I had to face yet another civil war. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657206628706-SLN0GUPYHRMHQQ660PWZ/unsplash-image-b79nQWPvxpg.jpg Home - 1992 I got sick and ended up being hospitalised due to complications of FGM. I could not follow my family when they escaped to find safety for a second time. I was bedbound in a hospital in Mogadishu with a tube attached to my privates to drain the period blood that had been accumulating in my stomach because of FGM. My parents had thought FGM would keep me safe. Instead, it trapped me in a half-destroyed hospital in the midst of a war. When the hospital itself was bombed my father managed to arrange for our escape to Djibouti. I joined my family and we stayed there for a few more years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/280cfac1-a4f2-4a41-8f1d-66918b8cd8c3/pexels-marco-cass%C3%83%C2%A9-3325372.jpg Home - 1994 Then my health got progressively worse and no hospital could help me, so I was given a visa to travel to Italy to receive medical help. You see, I never wanted to leave my beautiful country. I wanted to stay. I wanted to go back for my dress. My father and I were thousands of miles away from my mother and siblings. He wanted to cheer me up and took me out of the hospital to show me Duomo di Milano, then he explained to me that we now had to be refugees. I did not want to be a refugee. I wanted to go home but there was no home now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/b5ad444c-c398-4a77-9930-d81c8a60b7b5/raygar-he-y8bDgamkg1k-unsplash.jpg Home - 1997 I arrived in the UK in Sheffield and started to rebuild my life as it was clear to me that I was all alone with no home to go back to. I made the UK my new home, learnt English and started my education to become a nurse. I wanted to be a nurse to be just like the nurses who looked after me back in Mogadishu. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/866c536b-78ba-497a-b155-e00e446d6091/WhatsApp+Image+2022-07-07+at+5.02.16+PM.jpg Home - 2013 I met Mabel Evans, my dear friend, my sister and inspiration and Co-founded The Vavengers with her. We launched Europe’s first-ever anti-FGM billboard campaign and connected people through art, poetry and music. The Vavengers then continued on and became an important organisation committed to ending FGM and all other forms of Gender-Based Violence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/662f6077-fd07-45e3-9326-9615bf1c7fec/benjamin-davies-Oja2ty_9ZLM-unsplash.jpg Home - 2001 I moved to London and within 24 hours, I met the love of my life and got a job that I would work at for the next eight years. In 2006, I got married and just when I believed everything was going to be okay, FGM’s complications caught up with me again. I spent the next few years getting treatment and IVF to have a baby and when I got pregnant, a few weeks later right before my first scan appointment, I lost my baby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/403a7a2c-38ea-43cc-a702-a8686a26d5b9/DSC06991.JPG Home - 2021 I am now on the board of The Vavengers working alongside an incredible team as a Trustee, while also continuing my work as an educator, activist and public speaker. I am proud to be a woman and proud of where I am today, my work continues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/e344bba8-e269-494d-830e-baa2193c148d/Screenshot+2024-04-26+at+21.11.54.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/67d96a05-d79d-4764-8121-e9e976df96e8/92344B1A-1F44-4346-B8DB-E21AC4AD1F80.jpeg https://www.hodamali.com/impact daily 0.75 2023-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1651013119665-I4CM7303XAEHQRC87LEM/Mayor-of-London-logo-square.jpg Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1651013163540-ILLL5T4EN5LOX4VG829L/Parliment-1200x1200.png Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1651013292886-F381TOCGAI1Q8KS4AHK3/Profile%2BImages4_%402x.jpg Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406049368-SGMJGVDITJPWMSO8RDES/p8q6XjF1_400x400.jpg Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406190735-UVOOBAM041CXCU6PMKH5/home-office-logo%402x.png Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406329361-JDQJTN88ZW9CT89WIE8Z/Channel-4-Logo-2015-present.jpg Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406378057-0LX8FXCQFC5YA2QJPAKI/op_logo.jpg Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406545024-N79QN085U7NUCQ3Q5UCL/Amnesty-International-Logo.jpg Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406765603-DHZC4DZ1LAGV4TPDW6R5/My+project+%285%29.png Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406889296-XFU0RLY6IS4XAACUX4QC/My+project+%286%29.png Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657406988944-304YTGLGMKHGYHP8MLKZ/1NBbHxgg_400x400.jpg Impact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6262a1bfadfc5f4801da4cb5/1657407075460-T70CTWRLRNTB6L9P0REB/My+project+%287%29.png Impact https://www.hodamali.com/get-in-touch daily 0.75 2022-07-06 https://www.hodamali.com/privacy daily 0.75 2022-07-06