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A pioneering clitoris restoration surgery clinic has opened its doors in Kenya and 40 lucky women have been chosen to pilot the initiative.From May 2 to May 13, the US-based, non-profit organisation, Clitoraid, will set base in Nairobi, offering clitoral restorative surgery to victims of female genital mutilation (FGM).
It is a first that will attract many whose lower vaginal lips may have been brutally sliced off in outdated cultural practices.
According to Clitoraid Spokesperson Nadine Gary, their mission is part of the multiple actions planned during May, the Month of Clitoris Awareness.
“Dr Marci Bowers, Clitoraid’s gynaecological surgeon, will operate on 40 women in Kenya. Clitoraid partners with the Kenyan non-governmental organisation Garana and Dr Abdullahi Adan, a plastic reconstructive surgeon in this endeavour.
“Dr Bowers will restore sexual pleasure to 40 patients,” Gary said. “But those having surgery next week are only a few of the many FGM survivors who have contacted us, desperately seeking to be made whole again,” revealed Gary. According to a 2013 UNICEF report, a quarter of all Kenyan women are victims of of FGM, also known as ‘cutting.’
Gary said Dr Bowers will also train local surgeons during her stay in Kenya.
“She’ll present the clitoral restorative technique developed by French urologist, Dr Pierre Foldes,” Gary explained. “Clemence Linard, our clinical sexologist in France, will also participate, offering counselling to patients and sharing her expertise with Kenyan sexologist Dr Tammary Esho, who volunteered to assist,” Gary added.
Clitoraid’s mission began in 2004. Gary said Clitoraid has already operated on over 250 FGM survivors, mainly in the United States, where 500,000 victims reside today.
“Among our former patients is Jaha Dukereh, a US resident born in The Gambia,” Gary said. “Last year, she was listed on Time magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’ in recognition of her anti-FGM activism. She describes her restorative surgery through Clitoraid as ‘a life-changing experience’,” Gary revealed.
“All our patients have reported improvements after the surgery, and about 60 per cent of them have experienced orgasm – something they thought would never happen for them. Our ‘Pleasure Hospital’ is due to open next month. There, we will offer the surgical procedure free of charge,” said Gary.
