Growing Up Female In Maasai Society

• Prize
  Bronze in People/Portrait
• Photographer
  Matilde Simas
• Agency / Studio
  Matilde Simas Photography
• Photo Date
  November 16, 2016

Kenya’s abandonment of female genital mutilation (FGM) was written into federal law in 2011, yet the practice remains widespread in remote areas of the country. “If I do not accept the ‘cut,’ I will be forced to leave,” says one Maasai girl from a remote village. “Where can I go? Girls are cast out from their communities if they’re not ‘cut.’ ”She explains that many girls undergo the process due to familial and community pressures. Maasai society represses the voices of women, and the costs are high for girls who reject the traditional way.

Award-winning freelance photographer, Matilde Simas is a storyteller, educator, and the founder of Capture Humanity. Specializing in crafting ethical visual storytelling content for academic and NGO's around the world. Matilde leverages the power of visual storytelling to inform, provoke discussions, and inspire action. She achieves this by public speaking and exhibiting her work in museums, galleries, and public spaces. Her work on human trafficking has been widely exhibited by various UN agencies.