• Growing up across Somalia, Italy, and Saudi Arabia—and experiencing FGM at age 7
• The emotional and physical trauma of FGM, including its long-term impact during childbirth
• Why FGM must be recognized and prosecuted as child abuse, not cultural practice
• The role of language in policy, aid, and advocacy—reframing FGM, child marriage, and labiaplasty
• How patriarchy drives all forms of genital control—across race, class, and region
• Creating survivor-led initiatives and safe spaces for healing
• Reimagining feminist solidarity and cross-cultural resistance
• The power of parenting, art, and love in breaking cycles of harm

“What happened to us wasn’t culture. It was child abuse—and the body remembers.”

“We don’t practice violence. So let’s stop calling it a practice.”

“Patriarchy is the root of it all. If we want to end violence, we must start there.”

“Women’s bodies have always made money. That’s why they’ve always been controlled.”

“I am Nala because I choose to be present—with love.”

• Power of Language Position Paper – by The Girl Generation
• The Crocodile Documentary – Leyla’s landmark film on FGM in the UK
• The Girl Generation – Support to the Africa-led Movement to End FGM
• World Bank and University of Birmingham data on FGM mortality
• FGM Mortality Study – University of Birmingham, 2023
• CSW events on FGM and survivor-led care

________________________________________
Want to support the Nalafem?

Website nalafem.org

Instagram @IamNala_podcast

Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast

Facebook Nala Feminist Collective

X (Twitter) @Nalafem

YouTube Nala feminist Collective

Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective

Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto

For collaboration and sponsorships contact: aya@nalafem.org

____________________________________________

Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi

Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar

Graphic Designer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu

Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics Covered

• Growing up in Khartoum and the women who shaped her voice
• The revolution, grassroots organizing, and youth-led research for change
• The outbreak of war and the immediate humanitarian response
• The gendered violence faced by Sudanese women—on an unimaginable scale
• Evacuating students, building trauma centers, and creating safe spaces
• How U.S. aid suspensions cripple life-saving work
• Redefining peace through survival, service, and solidarity
• Why global solidarity must go beyond hashtags
  

Standout Quotes

“I wasn’t afraid of dying. I was afraid of being raped.”
“Peace used to mean volunteering. Now it means saving lives with nothing in your hands.”
“Sometimes we must choose: do we feed you, or do we protect you? That is the price of war.”
“Healing for a mother means seeing her child go to school without fear.”

Resources & Mentions

• Emergency Response Room – Sudanese grassroots initiative led by Hanin
• UNSCR 1325 – Women, Peace, and Security framework referenced
• Nalafem’s CSW68 Solidarity Night – A global platform amplifying Sudanese women
• Volunteer trainings in Sudan & DRC – Highlighting Hanin’s regional feminist work
  

______________________________________________

Want to support the Nalafem?

Website nalafem.org

Instagram @IamNala_podcast

Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast

Facebook Nala Feminist Collective

X (Twitter) @Nalafem

YouTube Nala feminist Collective

Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective

Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto

For collaboration and sponsorships contact: social@nalafem.org

____________________________________________

Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi

Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar

Graphic Designer : Kenechukwu Nwachukwu

Audio engineer: Joy Wambui

Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics Covered

• Living through genocide and the displacement of her family
  
• The walk for peace across Sudan and what it symbolized
  
• How tribal and cultural identities were deliberately fractured
  
• Weaponizing gender-based violence as a tool of war
  
• Survivor-led resistance and building humanitarian response networks
  
• The dangers of oversimplified narratives about Sudan’s conflict
  
• The revolution, counter-revolution, and what the international community must understand
  
• The role of poetry and storytelling in healing and advocacy
  

Standout Quotes

“They can take our lives, but they cannot take our humanity.”
“Survivors are rarely survivors of just one thing. We carry many wounds—and we still lead.”
“When the land isn’t safe, and your body isn’t safe, where do you go? You go to each other. That’s what we do.”
“I am Nala because my existence is an act of defiance. And so I live.”

Resources & Mentions

• Sisters’ Entrance – Poetry collection by Emtithal Mahmoud
  
• IDP Humanitarian Network – Grassroots mutual aid led by survivors in Sudan
  
• United for Sudan Petition – Calling for an immediate ceasefire and justice
  
• Dr. Nisreen Al-Ameen – Anthropologist working on land, dispossession, and Sudanese history
  
• Nura Hussein Campaign – Landmark case challenging marital rape laws in Sudan
  
• People Like Us & Daughter – Poems featured in the episode
  
  Call to Action
  If this episode moved you, share it widely. Follow the I AM NALA podcast, leave a review, and amplify survivor voices.
  Join the call to demand a ceasefire in Sudan.
  Support local networks. Center survivors. Stand with our people.

____________________________________________
Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?

Website nalafem.org

Instagram @IamNala_podcast

Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast

Facebook Nala Feminist Collective

X (Twitter) @Nalafem

YouTube Nala feminist Collective

Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective

Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto

For collaboration and sponsorships contact: social@nalafem.org

____________________________________________

Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi

Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar

Graphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu

Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Key Topics Covered

• Luthando’s experience of sexual violence from childhood through adulthood
• The silence, manipulation, and isolation that often surround survivors of abuse
• Navigating trauma while leading advocacy and survivor-centered work
• The failure of systems and institutions to protect women and survivors
• Colonialism, apartheid, and the unfinished work of national healing in South Africa
• The 2019 “Shutdown” march and reflections on feminist organizing in South Africa
• Why unity, collaboration, and “singing one song” are essential for real change
• The work of the Bold Women Network and grassroots initiatives supporting women and girls

Standout Quotes

“It wasn’t your fault. It’s okay to feel defeated—but don’t live in defeat.”
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown. I understand the crown I am wearing—and I must continue.”
“We are fighting not for protection—but to end the violence itself so that protection is no longer necessary.”

Resources & Mentions

• Million Girls Foundation – Period freedom and dignity for girls
• Disele May Foundation – Working with perpetrators for rehabilitation and accountability
• Young Leaders Connect – Ethical leadership and financial empowerment for young Africans
• Grit App – Tech-based protection tools for girls and women
• Black Women Caucus (South Africa) – Feminist movement against GBV
• Bold Women Network – Empowerment platform co-led by Luthando Modise
  

____________________________________________
Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?

Website nalafem.org

Instagram @IamNala_podcast

Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast

Facebook Nala Feminist Collective

X (Twitter) @Nalafem

YouTube Nala feminist Collective

Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective

Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto

For collaboration and sponsorships contact: social@nalafem.org

____________________________________________

Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi

Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar

Graphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu

Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

In this raw and unforgettable episode of I AM NALA, host Aya Chebbi sits down with Somali-British activist and survivor Shamsa Arawil for an unflinching conversation about her experience with female genital mutilation (FGM), her journey of healing, and her mission to transform trauma into activism. Shamsa shares her graphic and deeply personal story of undergoing FGM at age six, the lifelong impact it’s had on her body and mind, and the systemic silence survivors face around the world.

Together, they explore survivor-led solutions, bodily autonomy, the fetishization of women’s bodies, the global nature of FGM, and the role of reconstructive surgery in healing. Shamsa’s voice cuts through statistics and policy with a lived reality that demands attention—and action.

Shamsa takes us through her early life in Somalia and the cultural expectations that normalized FGM, and a vivid recounting of the procedure she underwent at age six and its lasting physical, mental, and emotional impact. She also shares candid discussion about the failures of existing charities, healthcare providers, and policies in addressing FGM effectively. She is advocating for survivor-centered solutions and explains why mainstream approaches often fall short

Shamsa has gone through reconstructive surgery and she shares what it meant for her sense of self. Her story serves as both a warning and an inspiration for survivors worldwide to reclaim ownership of their narratives.

🌍 Key Topics Covered

** Shamsa’s lived experience of FGM and childhood in Somalia

** Her diagnosis with dyslexia and her journey through higher education

** A breakdown of the four types of FGM and their long-term complications

** The trauma, silence, and medical neglect survivors face in diaspora communities

** Her reconstruction surgery and reclaiming bodily autonomy

** Critique of the UN and NGO sector’s response to FGM

** The importance of survivor-led and person-centered healing

“We are not less. We are not damaged. We are survivors—and we deserve healing.”
“If I can heal, I know others can too. We just need the tools and the truth.”

💡 Resources & Mentions

Dr. Dan O'Day – FGM Reconstruction Specialist (Germany)

DoorCast UK – Survivor support charity based in Birmingham

📣 Call to Action Love this episode? Please share with your networks, leave a review, and follow the I AM NALA podcast on all major platforms. Let’s amplify survivor voices and push for systemic change.

🔗 Follow @iamnala and @aya_chebbi on social media for updates.

____________________________________________
Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?

Website nalafem.org

Instagram @IamNala_podcast

Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast

Facebook Nala Feminist Collective

X (Twitter) @Nalafem

YouTube Nala feminist Collective

Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective

Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto

For collaboration and sponsorships contact aya@nalafem.org

____________________________________________

Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi

Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar

Graphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu

Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

Episode Highlights:

• Her early years in Guinea and how cultural pride influenced her work.
• The creation of groundbreaking media projects like Top 10 and their impact on Guinean youth.
• The fight against cultural barriers through bold advocacy campaigns on gender justice.
• The importance of African-led storytelling in changing global narratives about the continent.
• Insights on using media as a tool for empowerment and social change.

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Connect with Diaka Camara

Instagram @diakatop10

____________________________________________
Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?

Website nalafem.org

Instagram @IamNala_podcast

Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast

Facebook Nala Feminist Collective

X (Twitter) @Nalafem

YouTube Nala feminist Collective

Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective

Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto

For collaboration and sponsorships contact podcast@nalafem.org

____________________________________________

Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi

Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar

Graphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu

Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

• Raissa’s upbringing between France and Morocco and how her Amazigh roots shape her dance and identity.
• The importance of storytelling and tribal meanings in North African traditional dances.
• Challenges of being a female dancer in conservative and often hyper-sexualized perceptions of dance.
• The erasure and revival of indigenous Amazigh culture through her choreography.
• Insights on motherhood, cultural transmission, and raising the next generation with strong values and identity.

_______________________________________

Connect with Raïssa Lei

Instagram raissa_lei

____________________________________________
Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?

Website nalafem.org

Instagram @IamNala_podcast

Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast

Facebook Nala Feminist Collective

X (Twitter) @Nalafem

YouTube Nala feminist Collective

Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective

Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto

For collaboration and sponsorships contact hello@nalafem.org

____________________________________________

Curator & Host: Aya Chebbi

Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar

Graphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu

Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa