I AM NALA

Key Topics CoveredThe emotional toll of childhood abuse and betrayalHow grooming thrives in silence and cultural taboosThe moment Amanda decided to name her abuserWriting as resistance: transforming memory into voiceWhy survivors don’t owe anyone forgivenessThe justice system and the cost of speaking outBreaking generational silence and reclaiming agencyWhat true healing looks like for African girls and women“I had no language for what happened. But I have language now.”“He knew what he was doing. And I am allowed to say that.”“I’ve stopped trying to forgive what I still need justice for.”“I am not a victim with no voice. I am the voice.” Resources & MentionsComing Forward: Survivor Testimony and Justice in Africa (referenced by Amanda)Local child protection hotlines and counseling centers in East AfricaSurvivor-led writing circles and healing programs (as discussed by Amanda)African feminist movements advocating for bodily autonomy and legal reform------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Want to support the Nalafem? Website nalafem.org Instagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook NalafemX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube NalafemLinkedin NalafemLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact:  [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer.: Kenechukwu NwachukwuMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics CoveredSurviving childhood sexual abuse and reclaiming her voiceHow growing up in Kibera shaped her activism and community approachWriting Pendo’s Power and the need for early conversations on body safetyThe generational impact of silence—and how parenting can disrupt itBuilding trust, safety, and open dialogue with her daughterWorking with Freely In Hope to support survivors through education and leadershipThe need for national survivor councils and reimagining prevention in GBV workBreaking shame, naming body parts, and giving children the language to speak upStandout Quotes“Healing is not linear. But you will get there—and you are not alone.”“I wanted my daughter to inherit a legacy of courage, not silence.”“Your voice is your power. And children need to know that early.”“Pendo’s Power started as a book—but it’s becoming a movement.”Resources & MentionsPendo’s Power – Lydia Matioli’s children’s book on consent and body autonomyFreely In Hope – Survivor-led nonprofit focused on education and leadershipCompanion Guide for Pendo’s Power – For parents, caregivers, and educatorsOsi Kimi and Wangokanja Foundation – Partner orgs doing GBV work in KenyaSurvivor Council advocacy – Lydia’s call for survivor-centered policy designCall to ActionIf this episode touched you, let it move you to act.*  Share Pendo’s Power in your home, school, or community.*  Support survivor-led programs.*  Start the conversations we weren’t given.*  Listen. Believe. Protect.____________________________________________Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective? Website nalafem.org Instagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact:  [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer.: Kenechukwu NwachukwuMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics CoveredGrowing up across Somalia, Italy, and Saudi Arabia—and experiencing FGM at age 7The emotional and physical trauma of FGM, including its long-term impact during childbirthWhy FGM must be recognized and prosecuted as child abuse, not cultural practiceThe role of language in policy, aid, and advocacy—reframing FGM, child marriage, and labiaplastyHow patriarchy drives all forms of genital control—across race, class, and regionCreating survivor-led initiatives and safe spaces for healingReimagining feminist solidarity and cross-cultural resistanceThe power of parenting, art, and love in breaking cycles of harm Standout Quotes“What happened to us wasn’t culture. It was child abuse—and the body remembers.”“We don’t practice violence. So let’s stop calling it a practice.”“Patriarchy is the root of it all. If we want to end violence, we must start there.”“Women’s bodies have always made money. That’s why they’ve always been controlled.”“I am Nala because I choose to be present—with love.”  Resources & MentionsPower of Language Position Paper – by The Girl GenerationThe Crocodile Documentary – Leyla’s landmark film on FGM in the UKThe Girl Generation – Support to the Africa-led Movement to End FGMWorld Bank and University of Birmingham data on FGM mortalityFGM Mortality Study – University of Birmingham, 2023CSW events on FGM and survivor-led care________________________________________Want to support the Nalafem? Website nalafem.org Instagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact:  [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer.: Kenechukwu NwachukwuMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics CoveredGrowing up in Khartoum and the women who shaped her voiceThe revolution, grassroots organizing, and youth-led research for changeThe outbreak of war and the immediate humanitarian responseThe gendered violence faced by Sudanese women—on an unimaginable scaleEvacuating students, building trauma centers, and creating safe spacesHow U.S. aid suspensions cripple life-saving workRedefining peace through survival, service, and solidarityWhy global solidarity must go beyond hashtags  Standout Quotes“I wasn’t afraid of dying. I was afraid of being raped.”“Peace used to mean volunteering. Now it means saving lives with nothing in your hands.”“Sometimes we must choose: do we feed you, or do we protect you? That is the price of war.”“Healing for a mother means seeing her child go to school without fear.” Resources & MentionsEmergency Response Room – Sudanese grassroots initiative led by HaninUNSCR 1325 – Women, Peace, and Security framework referencedNalafem’s CSW68 Solidarity Night – A global platform amplifying Sudanese womenVolunteer trainings in Sudan & DRC – Highlighting Hanin’s regional feminist work ______________________________________________ Want to support the Nalafem? Website nalafem.org Instagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact:  [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer : Kenechukwu NwachukwuAudio engineer: Joy WambuiMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics CoveredGrowing up in Khartoum while carrying the stories of DarfurThe privilege of education and escaping FGMResearching the gender cost of war and women’s evolving roles in peacebuildingHow grassroots women are preventing violence and negotiating peace—without recognitionThe war’s weaponization of women’s bodies and its racialized strategyThe global silence and complicity fueling Sudan’s crisisThe emotional toll of activism and speaking truth during warWhat justice, healing, and real peace must look like for Sudanese women“Don’t underestimate what you know. Knowing is action. Knowing can change everything.”“Sudan did not choose this war. It was forced upon us—and women are paying the highest price.”“I refuse to be a symbol of pity. I’m strong. I am building something greater than fear.”“Peace is when women can exist safely—at home, in politics, in the streets, everywhere.”Call to ActionIf this conversation stirred something in you, don’t let it end here.🎧 Listen, reflect, and act.📝 Sign the petition: bit.ly/sudanceasefire💬 Share this episode and speak up for Sudan.📢 Demand accountability. Fund grassroots peacebuilders. Center Sudanese women’s leadership. ____________________________________________Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective? Website nalafem.org Instagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact: [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer : Kenechukwu NwachukwuAudio engineer: Joy WambuiMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics CoveredLiving through genocide and the displacement of her family The walk for peace across Sudan and what it symbolized How tribal and cultural identities were deliberately fractured Weaponizing gender-based violence as a tool of war Survivor-led resistance and building humanitarian response networks The dangers of oversimplified narratives about Sudan’s conflict The revolution, counter-revolution, and what the international community must understand The role of poetry and storytelling in healing and advocacy Standout Quotes“They can take our lives, but they cannot take our humanity.”“Survivors are rarely survivors of just one thing. We carry many wounds—and we still lead.”“When the land isn’t safe, and your body isn’t safe, where do you go? You go to each other. That’s what we do.”“I am Nala because my existence is an act of defiance. And so I live.” Resources & MentionsSisters’ Entrance – Poetry collection by Emtithal Mahmoud IDP Humanitarian Network – Grassroots mutual aid led by survivors in Sudan United for Sudan Petition – Calling for an immediate ceasefire and justice Dr. Nisreen Al-Ameen – Anthropologist working on land, dispossession, and Sudanese history Nura Hussein Campaign – Landmark case challenging marital rape laws in Sudan People Like Us & Daughter – Poems featured in the episode   Call to ActionIf this episode moved you, share it widely. Follow the I AM NALA podcast, leave a review, and amplify survivor voices.Join the call to demand a ceasefire in Sudan.Support local networks. Center survivors. Stand with our people.____________________________________________Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective? Website nalafem.org Instagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact:  [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu NwachukwuMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

 Key Topics CoveredLuthando’s experience of sexual violence from childhood through adulthoodThe silence, manipulation, and isolation that often surround survivors of abuseNavigating trauma while leading advocacy and survivor-centered workThe failure of systems and institutions to protect women and survivorsColonialism, apartheid, and the unfinished work of national healing in South AfricaThe 2019 “Shutdown” march and reflections on feminist organizing in South AfricaWhy unity, collaboration, and “singing one song” are essential for real changeThe work of the Bold Women Network and grassroots initiatives supporting women and girlsStandout Quotes“It wasn’t your fault. It’s okay to feel defeated—but don’t live in defeat.”“Heavy is the head that wears the crown. I understand the crown I am wearing—and I must continue.”“We are fighting not for protection—but to end the violence itself so that protection is no longer necessary.”Resources & MentionsMillion Girls Foundation – Period freedom and dignity for girlsDisele May Foundation – Working with perpetrators for rehabilitation and accountabilityYoung Leaders Connect – Ethical leadership and financial empowerment for young AfricansGrit App – Tech-based protection tools for girls and womenBlack Women Caucus (South Africa) – Feminist movement against GBVBold Women Network – Empowerment platform co-led by Luthando Modise ____________________________________________Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective? Website nalafem.org Instagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact:  [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu NwachukwuMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa 

In this raw and unforgettable episode of I AM NALA, host Aya Chebbi sits down with Somali-British activist and survivor Shamsa Arawil for an unflinching conversation about her experience with female genital mutilation (FGM), her journey of healing, and her mission to transform trauma into activism. Shamsa shares her graphic and deeply personal story of undergoing FGM at age six, the lifelong impact it’s had on her body and mind, and the systemic silence survivors face around the world.Together, they explore survivor-led solutions, bodily autonomy, the fetishization of women’s bodies, the global nature of FGM, and the role of reconstructive surgery in healing. Shamsa’s voice cuts through statistics and policy with a lived reality that demands attention—and action.Shamsa takes us through her early life in Somalia and the cultural expectations that normalized FGM, and a vivid recounting of the procedure she underwent at age six and its lasting physical, mental, and emotional impact. She also shares candid discussion about the failures of existing charities, healthcare providers, and policies in addressing FGM effectively. She is advocating for survivor-centered solutions and explains why mainstream approaches often fall shortShamsa has gone through reconstructive surgery and she shares what it meant for her sense of self. Her story serves as both a warning and an inspiration for survivors worldwide to reclaim ownership of their narratives.🌍 Key Topics Covered** Shamsa’s lived experience of FGM and childhood in Somalia** Her diagnosis with dyslexia and her journey through higher education** A breakdown of the four types of FGM and their long-term complications** The trauma, silence, and medical neglect survivors face in diaspora communities** Her reconstruction surgery and reclaiming bodily autonomy** Critique of the UN and NGO sector’s response to FGM** The importance of survivor-led and person-centered healing“We are not less. We are not damaged. We are survivors—and we deserve healing.”“If I can heal, I know others can too. We just need the tools and the truth.”💡 Resources & MentionsDr. Dan O'Day – FGM Reconstruction Specialist (Germany)DoorCast UK – Survivor support charity based in Birmingham📣 Call to Action Love this episode? Please share with your networks, leave a review, and follow the I AM NALA podcast on all major platforms. Let’s amplify survivor voices and push for systemic change.🔗 Follow @iamnala and @aya_chebbi on social media for updates.____________________________________________Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective? Website nalafem.orgInstagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu NwachukwuMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Episode Highlights:Her early years in Guinea and how cultural pride influenced her work.The creation of groundbreaking media projects like Top 10 and their impact on Guinean youth.The fight against cultural barriers through bold advocacy campaigns on gender justice.The importance of African-led storytelling in changing global narratives about the continent.Insights on using media as a tool for empowerment and social change._______________________________________Connect with Diaka CamaraInstagram @diakatop10____________________________________________Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective? Website nalafem.orgInstagram @IamNala_podcast  Tiktok I AM NALA PodcastFacebook Nala Feminist CollectiveX (Twitter) @NalafemYouTube Nala feminist CollectiveLinkedin Nala Feminist CollectiveLearn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifestoFor collaboration and sponsorships contact [email protected] ____________________________________________Creator & Host: Aya ChebbiProducer: Omom Mbu-OgarGraphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu NwachukwuMusic License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa