The horrors a woman’s body could face while alive—and unfortunately, even after death—are innumerable. One could talk for hours about them, or think they know everything about them and the world would still manage to surprise. And surprise it did, when Waris Dirie came forth about her story, and how she fell victim to the act of Female Genital Mutilation ( FGM ).

Waris Dirie was born into a nomadic family near the borders of Somalia and Ethiopia. She was one of 12 kids, and she lived a peaceful life in the deserts of Africa until she turned 3. She was 3 when her family circumcised her, using infibulation (removing the outer and inner labia, and suturing the vulva).And when she was 13, when she ran away from home, because she was to be married off to a man old enough to be her grandfather.

Soon enough, she found herself hired as a maid in her uncle’s house in London as he began his first term as an ambassador. Despite the familial relationship, it was anything but loving. She was paid poorly and was let go after his four years ended. However, she did not let her lack of expertise in English stop her from surviving in this new country, and she chose to continue to stay in London, albeit illegally.

She got a job as a cleaner in Mcdonalds, and got a room in a YMCA facility. She also attended night classes to learn English. On pure coincidence, she was scouted by a rather well-known photographer, and although there were some rejections (quote un quote ‘no call for a black model’), her first modelling job allowed her to quickly rise to fame and soon she would be modelling for brands such as Revlon, Chanel, Levi’s etc.

When she saw the influence she had built up, she retired from modelling and established the foundation Flower Desert in Vienna, whose goal was to spread awareness about FGM as well as provide support for the women who fell victim, and prevent furthur cases. She would then find herself fighting against FGM for the next 20 odd years.

Waris Dirie and her new team, as their first objective, decided that no one truly knew of the reality of FGM, and so teamed up with European and African journalists to conduct a research of FGM in African communities in Europe. This research lasted from 2002-2005 and resulted in a 4000 paged report. Once presented, their findings would shock the European Union. Around 500,000 women suffered from FGM and without treatment, which went unnoticed until the Flower Desert Foundation had brought it to light.

Waris Dirie also wrote an autobiography that became a bestseller immediately, with over 11 million copies sold. The book was translated into many different languages and read and enjoyed by people from all over the world. It was such a hit that in 2009, a movie was released based on the book. In an interview, she had said that this movie was the one where she instantly said yes to. The chance to spread her message was not one she was willing to let up, especially on the off-chance that it will help others find their voice as well.

Other than research work, the foundation supported and funded surgeries for FGM victims, and started a program joined by 140 single mothers, where they taught women how to earn their own income.In one of her many speeches, Waris Dirie had talked about how that part of a woman’s body is considered to be dirty, and therefore it must be removed. That without it, and with it stitched up, it represents cleanliness and virtue. It shows how messed up parts of the world has led itself to be, to look at a woman and not see a human, but instead something unclean. Something that needs to be fixed. 

No one can decide if a woman is broken, other than herself. The world must learn that just like any other human, a woman has boundaries, secrets and words that she deserves to keep to herself. As long as she has not consented, no other person can touch her and that is the only way the world can grow in this aspect. 

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Sources : 

https://www.desertflowerfoundation.org/en/waris-dirie.html

https://www.vimooz.com/2011/03/04/review-desert-flower-true-story-of-somalian-supermodel-waris-dirie/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waris_Dirie

https://www.britannica.com/explore/100women/profiles/waris-dirie

https://youtu.be/oELXksq5ibA. 

https://youtu.be/zctWnezzUH8.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infibulation 

https://www.desertflowerfoundation.org/en/our-achievements.html 

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