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The Organization

Zinduka means arise. We support young women and girls in Kenya who are at risk of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and teenage pregnancy.

We support women through education and awareness, providing shelter in some cases.

We also provide First Aid training, self-confidence programs, sensitizing men to issues such as FGM, and much more.

Zinduka e.V. was registered in 2016 as a non-profit association in Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. The non-profit status exists according to §§51 ff. AO. The non-profit association has the number 5323 in the register of associations in Marburg and the tax number: 3125056899.

Our team in Germany

Our team in Germany supports Zinduka Kenya from afar. Our task is to collect donations that go directly to the projects in Kenya.
In addition, we raise awareness of the issue of female genital mutilation among people in Germany.

Lena Paul Mitglied Zinduka e.V.

Lena Paul

Fundraising

Member since:
Januar 2021

Tasks: Fundraising Zinduka e.V., Social Media and Website 

What makes me happy: Working with friends from across continents. 

What makes me sad: To think about the many inequalities in the world.

My vision for Zinduka: Helping girls gain more opportunities and perspectives.

Anna Mitglied Zinduka e.V.

Anna Hares

Fundraising

coming soon…

Member since:

Tasks: Fundraising Zinduka e.V.

What makes me happy:

What makes me sad: 

My vision for Zinduka:

Ines Mitglied Zinduka e.V.

Ines Bühler

Fundraising

Member since: December 2018

Tasks: Website, Fundraising Zinduka e.V.

What makes me happy: When I can bring joy to others with my skills and cake!

What makes me sad: When love disappears, injustice, war, coldness and when we run out of cake.

My vision for Zinduka: An organization that has made it its business to be a contact point for women who are in need. My vision is to support the association so that this remains possible!

Zinduka-Logo

Roland Freitag

Fundraising

coming soon…

Member since:

Tasks: Fundraising Zinduka e.V.

What makes me happy:

What makes me sad: 

My vision for Zinduka:

Simona Mitglied Zinduka e.V.

Simona Koch

Fundraising

coming soon…

Member since:

Tasks: Fundraising Zinduka e.V.

What makes me happy:

What makes me sad: 

My vision for Zinduka: 

Zinduka-Logo

Carolin Geiger

Social Media

Member since: July 2021

Tasks: Social Media, Fundraising Zinduka e.V.

What makes me happy: Pulling together with other activists in order to make the world a better place for all of us & seeing simple acts of solidarity. 

What makes me sad: 1) The gap between rich & poor.
2) Girls/women are still discriminated and disadvantaged in many dimensions of life in the 21st century and still have to fight for their rights.

My vision for Zinduka: Making people aware that there is still a problem with gender inequalities as it is today and we all must fix it. All of us – men and women alike – must do better in order to create a life for girls/women with all the perspectives they deserve. #breakthebias

Julia N.

Fundraising

coming soon…

Member since:

Tasks: Fundraising Zinduka e.V.

What makes me happy:

What makes me sad: 

My vision for Zinduka: 

Zinduka-Logo

... You?

Join the team!

We are always looking for motivated people who want to achieve the goals of Zinduka together with us.

Find out more. 

Our team in Kenya

Our team of Zinduka Kenya works on site and implements the projects directly. We benefit from close contact and exchange with each other and with the community in Kuria East. This allows us to tailor our projects to the needs of the community.

antonia

Antonia Waskowiak

Founder

Member since:
Foundation in 2016

Tasks: Founder of Zinduka, fundraising, project management, connecting Team Germany and Kenya.

What makes me happy: when I am on site and see the effect our work has. Every single smile and “thank you” from a community member fills my heart.

 What makes me sad: when I see signs of violence and the cases where it is too late to take action.

My vision for Zinduka: I see Zinduka standing on its own two feet, growing and expanding into many different communities in Kenya.

Cess wangui Zinduka Team Kenya

Cecilia Wangui

Program Director

Member since:
February 2019

Tasks: Program and Organizational Operations Director at Zinduka. 

What makes me happy: when women and men can reach their full potential.

 What makes me sad: when women and girls are undermined or ignored in any way.

My vision for Zinduka: Our motto: Education against mutilation. 

Tobias Maroa Member Zinduka Kenya

Tobias Maroa

Finance Manager

Member since:
February 2019

Tasks: Treasurer and anything else that is assigned to me.

What makes me happy: Equality between women and men.

 What makes me sad: When a girl or child becomes the victim of hard times of the community.

My vision for Zinduka: To change the negative attitudes of community members towards women and girls so that we have a community where girls have the right to determine their own future.

Rose Lameck Member Zinduka Kenya

Rose Lameck

Volunteer

Member since:
April 2019

Tasks: Owner of a chicken farm, volunteer in crafts.

What makes me happy: Seeing young girls focus on education instead of negative cultural practices.

 What makes me sad: Seeing young girls going into marriage so early and without education.

My vision for Zinduka: Educate the community about FGM and teach people, especially women, how to be economically self-sustaining and independent.

Tuguro Dronny Elijah - Zinduka Kenya

Tuguro Dronny Elijah

Volunteer

Member since:
Dezember 2016

Tasks: Facilitator

What makes me happy: to work for the community.

 What makes me sad: when I cannot complete the tasks assigned to me.

My vision for Zinduka: To help Zinduka promote education against mutilation.

Zinduka-Logo

... You?

Join the team!

We are always looking for motivated people who want to achieve the goals of Zinduka together with us.

Find out more. 

Our location in Kenya

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

For most people in Europe, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an outdated and distant tradition in which parts of the female genital organs are removed. It used to be practiced regularly in a cruel way and has now long been banned in most countries. 

That is right, at least in theory! In reality, however, it is different. Even today FGM is practiced, mainly in western and northeastern Africa, as well as in Yemen, Iraq, Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries. However, even in countries where this ritual is now banned, FGM is still practiced.

Forms of FGM

Anatomy FGM

FGM is practiced in different ways. Depending on the tradition of the place or tribe, a distinction is made between the following forms of circumcision:

Type I: partial or complete removal of the externally visible part of the clitoris (clitoridectomy) and/or the clitoral prepuce (clitoral prepuce reduction).

Type II: partial or complete removal of the externally visible part of the clitoris and the labia minora with or without circumcision of the labia majora (excision)

Type III (also infibulation): narrowing of the vaginal opening with creation of a covering closure by cutting and stitching together the labia minora and/or labia majora, with or without removal of the externally visible part of the clitoris

Type IV: This category includes all practices that cannot be assigned to one of the other three categories. The WHO mentions, for example, piercing, incision, scraping, cauterization of genital tissue, cauterization of the clitoris, or introduction of corrosive substances into the vagina.

Consequences of FGM

Not to be despised are the consequences of this ritual, we have listed only a few of them here:

Psychological trauma: certainly no woman will forget the pain, because FGM is usually practiced without any anesthesia. Not to forget the shame and insults that are done by the circumciser. The women are often held down in the process and it is not uncommon for circumcisions to take place against their will. 

Life-threatening infections (also HIV!): due to unhygienic conditions by means of unwashed razor blades or broken glass with which the cut is made. Often the wound is not treated afterwards or even contaminated through traditional practices such as using ashes.

Death: It is not uncommon for the girls to die as a result. There is a particular risk of bleeding, as the wound is not sutured. The body is then thrown into the forest as animal food.

Complications during childbirth: Depending on the type there are deep scarring and missing parts of the vagina, which can lead to severe complications during childbirth. 

Loss of an organ: After removal, sexual arousal is no longer possible for women, and they may also experience extreme pain during sexual intercourse.

Urinary tract infections, incontinence: Due to severe injuries, the entire urogenital area can also suffer serious consequences.

Kuria’s reasons for FGM

Despite the consequences for the girls, in Kuria, the girls continue to be cut. The Kuria have their own reasons for this:


Growing Up: through genital mutilation, girls become women and gain recognition. Especially during puberty, this seems to be important to the girls.

Proving courage: Those who are cut are considered brave but those who merely bat their eyes or even start to scream or cry during the procedure are considered weak and are frowned upon. 

Being a full member of the community: Only after undergoing the cut, the woman is allowed to participate in cultural traditions, such as weddings. Those who are not cut are excluded. Many girls look forward to this “status” so much that they accept the torment of cutting for it.

Symbol of “purity”: only after the woman is married, the husband is allowed to penetrate her and thrust open everything that has been mutilated. A very traumatic, dangerous and painful event. The mutilation guarantees the husband virginity and “purity”, so to speak.

Marriage: most men accept only “pure” women and girls released for marriage, moreover, they then pay a higher bride price.

Bride price: the bride price for the girl’s parents is higher if she is circumcised. Especially the poor families depend on this and then marry their daughters at a young age.

Big celebration, many gifts: an attraction for girls from poor backgrounds is of course the money, the many gifts and the recognition they receive at such a ceremony. It is a big celebration for the girls that starts the night before the cutting. The women sing and dance all night. They are dressed in special clothes after being cut, they wear the cloth soaked with their blood around their legs and walk through the village with an umbrella and a celebrating crowd.

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