Latest news with #Morans
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
The unlikely defenders of girls facing genital mutilation in Kenya
For generations, morans have been champions of tradition in Samburu culture: guardians of community honor, masculine ideals, and long-held customs. Among the customs they are responsible for upholding is female genital mutilation (FGM) — a Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up 'I've seen what it does to our sisters,' says James Lelelit, 28, a former enforcer of the tradition turned anti-FGM activist. 'They bleed. They suffer infections. They drop out of school. Some never recover. I couldn't stay silent anymore.' Advertisement What makes this movement extraordinary is that it is not the result of outside pressure. It is coming from within the heart of the community. What's emerging in Samburu is not only an effort to champion women's rights and health, but a redefinition of masculinity. For young men raised to measure their worth by dominance and tradition, embracing compassion is no small feat. Advertisement In the past, anti-FGM messages often came from outsiders and were met with resistance. But today, morans are leading the conversations. They are young men who have seen firsthand the pain FGM causes their sisters and classmates. They are part of a generation more exposed to education, mobile technology, and evolving ideas about human rights. Crucially, they frame their opposition to FGM not as a rejection of traditional culture but as a way to protect it. The hope is that this insider-led movement — in which warriors are speaking out and families are listening — will continue to grow. The transformation is fragile, but if sustained, it could mark a turning point not just for Samburu but for other communities where the custom remains entrenched. FGM is illegal in Kenya, yet it continues in rural communities where government enforcement is weak and old customs remain deeply ingrained. In Samburu County, nearly From warrior to defender In a region where tradition often outweighs legislation, the morans are making all the difference. 'Everything changed when we started talking to the warriors,' says Samuel Leadismo, a Samburu warrior, founder of the Pastoralist Child Foundation, and former enforcer of FGM. Leadismo's transformation into a defender of girls' rights began after he attended a community training by a local NGO that challenged old beliefs about FGM. It wasn't the facts alone that shifted his views but the girls' and women's harrowing testimonies. The knowledge hit differently because it came from people he trusted and because the people at the training asked him to reconsider what it truly meant to be a protector. Advertisement Today, he works to convince other young Samburu warriors that they have the power to end the practice. 'Morans have influence,' he says. 'If they decide to marry only girls who are not cut, everything changes.' Indeed, this redefinition of masculinity — from enforcing harmful tradition to defending girls' bodies and futures — is what makes the movement so powerful. In a community where identity is rooted in heritage, warriors like Leadismo are showing that honoring culture can involve change. Rather than rejecting tradition outright, they are reframing it — turning strength into advocacy and authority into protection. Their new stance has already had an effect. Families are increasingly choosing to let their daughters go through alternative rites of passage, including community-led ceremonies that celebrate a girl's coming of age without FGM. According to the Pastoralist Child Foundation, thousands of girls in the region have undergone these alternative rites of passage and remained in school. Joy Lemasian, 17, remembers the day she told her father she did not want to be cut. 'He looked angry at first,' she recalls. 'But then my uncle, a moran, told him, 'The world is changing. Let her go to school.' That saved me.' Lemasian now dreams of becoming a teacher. Her story is becoming more common, but she knows the danger hasn't disappeared. 'Some girls are still cut in secret,' she says softly. 'But now, at least we have people to talk to. People who believe in us.' The morans occupy a unique space between the elders, who are often guardians of tradition, and the youth, who are hungry for change. Their voices carry weight in a society where age and gender roles are tightly defined. Advertisement Even some elders are beginning to come around. 'At first, I thought the boys were being disrespectful,' says Moses Lekilelei, a village elder in the town of Archers Post. 'But then I listened. They are not rejecting our culture. They are saving our daughters.' Yet there has been backlash. In some villages, morans who speak out have faced threats or been ostracized. 'We were told we were no longer real men,' says Peter Loeku, 26. 'But I asked them — how is a real man one who causes harm to a child?' Loeku admits the fight is slow. 'We need more schools, more role models. And we need to stop pretending this is just a women's issue. It affects all of us.' Internationally, the story is being watched closely. The United Nations Population Fund warns that without faster progress, up to 89 million girls could still be at risk of FGM by 2030. Samburu's example offers hope. 'Being a moran used to mean strength, pride, silence,' says Lelelit. 'Now it means asking questions. It means choosing what kind of man you want to be.' As the sun sets over the hills, the gathered morans in Samburu rise to leave. One of them ties his red cloth tighter around his waist and turns to speak. 'We are still warriors,' he says, smiling. 'But now we fight for something better.'
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Holidaymakers heading to Spanish island warned after state of emergency declared
Just days after the Canary Islands were battered by Storm Oliver, British tourists in Lanzarote are still grappling with the aftermath. A state of emergency was declared on the island on Saturday, April 12, after flash floods inundated homes and tourist hotspots, reports This prompted the UK Foreign Office to sound a travel warning on Sunday for those planning trips to areas such as Costa Teguise, San Bartolomé, and Arrecife. READ MORE: Ryanair threatens to axe number of flights to Spain amid ongoing row Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join For those already on holiday, it's been a far cry from the idyllic break they had hoped for. Holidaymaker and TikTok user Lisa Marie shared a video of the grim conditions, generating views from 1.2 million users. "POV [point of view] - You go to Lanzarote for the weather," she wrote on her post, adding: "Costa Teguise, 12/04/2025." Her clip shows murky water rushing down a street near the seafront, with a voice in a Scottish accent declaring: "No way, are you kidding me?" The footage also reveals a usually vibrant nightlife area devastated by the water. One sympathetic TikTok user commented: "Sorry to anyone having a bad holiday that's so unfair for you," Another added: "Oh no! This is just awful. You pay so much for holidays." Lisa Marie later noted: "It had passed after a few hours in fairness but some businesses still feeling the effects of a loss of earnings and damage done." Elsewhere, the Morans family, who are also holidaying in Lanzarote, captured the gloomy scene outside their hotel. Also taking to TikTok, they shared: "Not our regular content, but on 12th April 2025 there has been a bad flood in Costa Tequise, Lanzarote and [this is] just to show our hotel." Hailing from Devon where they run a restaurant, the Morans detailed the extensive flooding that ravaged not just outdoor areas but also infiltrated the on-site amenities. "Everywhere flooded, including the food hall," they said in their clip. "Have had no running water for a day so far. We really feel for the locals here as the damage is bad. The hotel staff have tried so hard to do what they can, they must be exhausted." Injecting humour into their misfortune, the Morans' video featured Jess Glynne's 'Hold My Hand', known from Jet2 adverts, perhaps a nod to their attempt to stay upbeat despite the turbulent conditions. The family also showcased the pool area of their accommodation which was submerged in rainwater, making it impossible to distinguish the pool from its surroundings. Their sarcastic comment, "Can't wait to go swimming on holiday," accompanied the viral video, which has amassed over two million views, showcasing their ironic take on the expected holiday experience. Their post drew attention from the TikTok community, with one user responding: "It's refreshing to read your caption and it be so nice and considerate. Usually you see these stuff with people moaning about how it's ruined their holiday and not caring about anything else." A second individual quipped: "Going in two weeks. Can't wait to go to a flooded mess." Meanwhile, a third person shared their family's ordeal: "My mum and my sister literally flew to Lanzarote today and their hotel is flooded so loads of people were booking new hotels or flights back and they almost flew back but managed to get a hotel. Would be such a shame if they didn't even get to go on their holiday." In an update to its travel advice page on the Foreign Office said: "Heavy rainfall and flooding in Lanzarote occurred earlier today (13 April 2025) with Costa Teguise, San Bartolomé, and Arrecife particularly affected. Services across the island are affected. "Some hotels are currently without power. Some roads are currently affected by mud. If you are in Lanzarote or travelling to Lanzarote, follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local weather updates." Meanwhile, Enrique Espinosa, head of emergency services for the Lanzarote government, told local news service, RTVE news on Sunday: "We have been working all night, attending 300 calls overnight, many of them in Arrecife and Teguise. Some houses are flooded and what remains is a great quantity of mud."
