These interviews with Mothers who have accepted a goat in return for not cutting their daughters was done by our Kadi, upon a visit to the village of Niamana in March 2013.

These interviews have been translated from their native language of Bamara, into French, then English for us.

Madje Diarra…


I am a housewife, I am 30 years old. I have 4 children (2 boys and 2 girls).    Alima Daou: 3 years old;  and
Mariam Daou: 1 year and 5 months.

I did not attend school and this fact is what I regret the most in my life.

Thus I do not want my children to be illiterate like me that is why my husband and I want to enroll all our children at school. For now my first son Kalifa is the only one who has the age for school. He is attending grade 4.

My two little daughters are cute; they keep me busy all the time. Alima is very curious. I hope she will study well and could be able to fight for her rights one day.

I cannot tell you my joy/my happiness about having a goat. This goat represents an economic hope for me as I do not have any means to undertake incomes generating activities. I do not forget the objective of this donation which is to have our commitment not to cut our daughters. I think this is a noble cause because nobody deserves to be private of a part of her body because of a tradition.

Toma Traore…


‘ I am married with Ousmane Dembele since 2001. With him I have 5 kids (3 boys and 2 girls). I am 30 years old and I am a housewife. I never attend school but I did three months of literacy training which stopped since two years ago.

My older daughter is Djeneba Dembele. She is 9 years old and she is attending grade 2. The second daughter is Aminata Dembele. She is 4 years old. We are living in a big family of 18 members. In such a family all the conditions are not convened and it is difficult to meet the need of everyone. Each parent especially mother is in charge of the expenses of her children.

The goat I received will be a real support for me because I can feed my children with the milk I can also sell the baby goat when it is grown up.

Of course I do not forget that this represent my commitment not to cut my lovely two little girls.‘

Her husband Ousmane Dembele is 34 years old. He is farmer. He dropped from school when was attending grade 4. Ousmane often support her wife to take some decisions on her own life or on their children.

Ramatou Fabe…


‘I am a young married woman. I am 22 years old. I am a teacher in the private school called ‘Anna Traore’ of Niamana. I have one little girl called Fanta Traore. She is 2 years old.

In fact I am between the house works and the teaching. Each morning I wake up early to cook the breakfast and the sauce for lunch before going to school. My mother in law who is an old woman cooks rice before my return from school.

As a literate person and being aware of the dark side of the FGM, I do not want my daughter to be cut because of the tradition. I am supportive to such a project which is a source of education and a way for people to change their mentality and habit. I am also happy with the donation of goat; I hope that this action can really contribute to save more young girls’.

Mohamed Traore: is the husband of Ramatou. He is farmer. Like her wife, Mohamed did some studies; he works at the health care centre of Niamana as nurse.

Souleymane Daou…

‘I am Souleymane the husband of Madje. I am 35 years old. I am a farmer. After harvest, we do not have much work to do in the village I took this advantage to sell animals during the market days of the neighboring villages. In fact I do not have money to buy animals and resell them but I have an agreement with the owners that I will have a percentage on each animal I will sell. Now with the war in the country we can spend a whole market day without selling any animal. This situation is really hard for us‘.

Kadiatou Traore


‘I am 35 years old and I am married since 17 years ago. I have 6 children (5 boys and 1 girl).

I did 3 years of literacy training. This project of literacy training was organized by world vision to help rural women to have a least knowledge on numeracy in order to be able to get profit of their income activities. Unfortunately this project stopped more than 2 years ago.

Adiaratou is the name of my daughter. She is 4 years old. She wants to know everything and she always ask questions. She is very cute and love to play with her little brother.

My wish is that she can study and can be someone who know all her rights and can fights for them.

I am very happy to have a goat which is not only the opportunity for me to generate incomes but my motivation not to private my daughter of her femininity. I will take care of this goat like a member of my family because I know that it can bring the support and the hope I need.

I wish long life to this project so it can continue to educate people and save more young girls. My sincere gratitude goes to the initiators’.

Yahaya Traore is the husband of Kadiatou. He is 43 years old. He is farmer.

Yahaya dropped from school at grade 8. He is very courageous and loves to improve his skills by participating to recycling trainings. Due to his endeavors and commitment, the community has chosen him since 2008 to teach classes to students who are learning vocations. He was also chosen by the town hall to be the counterpart of the USAID volunteer for the commune of Niamana last year. Unfortunately due to health reason the volunteer leaved.

Sidiki Dembele…

Sidiki is married with Wassa since 10 years ago. He is 34 years old. He is a farmer.To meet his family needs Sidiki sell animals (goats, sheep and even chicken) during the market days of Djeli and Yangasso, the neighboring villages of Niamana.