someday return home, and in 2009, she did just that. she built the kakenya center for excellence back home in her village, the area s first primary school for girls. today, 155 students attend the school and they all have one thing in common, aside from being girls. their parents have all agreed not to subject them to cutting or early marriage. with uniforms, three meals a day, books, and small class sizes, big dreams take hold. listen to her, watch her work, because her courage is contagious. it happens outside. men and women all witnessing you. you re not supposed to cry because brave women don t cry. i avoided the ceremony as far as i could. when i knew that it was going to happen, i had to face my dad and say i would only go through the
[ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present cnn kakenya ntaiya. [ applause ] thank you. thank you. thank you. in january, we welcomed 30 more girls in our school. i am so glad because it shows that the community is learning
the change is happening. that s why i wake up every morning. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present cnn hero kakenya ntaiya. [ applause ] thank you. thank you. thank you. in january, we welcomed 30 more girls in our school.
but for the 140 million women and girls around the world who have survived female genital mutilation, or fgm, we think it s an important story for everybody to learn about and for all of us to speak out about. in some places, the law has changed, like in kenya, fgm continues. here to tell us one woman s courageous story, please welcome the star of hbo s girls, allison williams. [ applause ] i am so honored to be able to tell you a little bit about our next hero. she was born in a maasai village in kenya where she was engaged to be married at the age of 5. it is custom there for young women to undergo fgm, cutting, by the time they are teenagers. which also marks the end of a girl s education and the beginning of their preparation for marriage. this was to be kakenya ntaiya s future as well, until she took matters into her own hands. she negotiated a deal with her father, agreeing to undergo fgm in exchange for being allowed to complete high school. after completing high school, she
in some places, the law has changed, like in kenya, fgm continues. here to tell us one woman s courageous story, please welcome the star of hbo s girls, allison williams. [ applause ] i am so honored to be able to tell you a little bit about our next hero. she was born in a maasai village in kenya where she was engaged to be married at the age of 5. it is custom there for young women to undergo fgm, cutting, by the time they are teenagers. which also marks the end of a girl s education and the beginning of their preparation for marriage. this was to be kakenya ntaiya s future as well, until she took matters into her own hands. she negotiated a deal with her father, agreeing to undergo fgm