Domafeign Launches Massive Awareness to Eradicate Harmful Traditional Practices

 

 ADNews-Gbarpolu: In a significant move to protect human rights and restore dignity, a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Domafeign, has launched a major awareness campaign aimed at eradicating harmful traditional practices and promoting women’s and girls’ rights. The initiative, supported by ActionAid Liberia and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), is part of the continuation of the Just an Equal Community (JEC) Project which is now in it’s 6th year of implantation as  the   current extension of the project is expected to end in 2026.

The campaign, held over the weekend in Gbarma, brought together traditional leaders, women, girls, and local officials to support Domafeign’s vision of creating a society free from violence, discrimination, and human rights abuses, regardless of gender or social status. The gathering emphasized addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) issues, eradication of Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs) such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),  as well as promoting Village Saving Clubs as alternative livelihood initiative for former FGM practitioners who have now become FGM Change Champions through the project.

Other Structures benefiting from the project include  the Rural Women office, Human Rights Defenders  and  Youth Groups acros the country.

During the event, participants expressed overwhelming support for Domafeign’s mission. Many attendees committed to working closely with the NGO to ensure the project’s success across the county. The local leaders gave Domafeign the go-ahead to engage all necessary stakeholders to achieve their goals and foster positive change in the community.

The event also served as an opportunity to refresh the county’s traditional leaders on the objectives of the two-year JEC project. It provided clarity on the dos and don’ts of the initiative’s deliverables, ensuring everyone involved understood their roles and responsibilities.

Following the launch, a working session allowed participants to share ideas and suggestions for enhancing the program’s impact. Key discussions focused on identifying what should be added to the initiative, what practices should be avoided, and which local stakeholders should be involved to ensure the program’s success.

Boimah Coleman, Executive Director of Domafeign, spoke passionately about the organization’s goals, revealing that they are preparing to build structures where locals can once again begin crafting locally made products for economic, social, and home use. This effort aims to reduce reliance on harmful traditional practices while fostering community development.

“We are committed to comprehensive SRHR promotion and eliminating harmful practices. To achieve this, we need to improve livelihoods, which is why we are strengthening the Village Saving Clubs to teach locals how to save money and invest in sustainable ventures. Our goal is not to provide handouts, but to empower them to overcome harmful traditions and build a better future,” Coleman explained.

Boima disclosed that Domafeign will be working with different structure  includind  seven  Communities,   three Communitties Base Organizations (CBOs) , two Boys and Girls Forums  in   Gbarma District,  whuile they will incorperate  four  Communities, three  CBOs one Boys and Girls Forums in Bopolu District  and
four  Communities, with eight  Boys and Girls Forums  in Bokomu District.

In a special address, the County’s Chief of Culture and Tradition, ( Chief Zoe) Paramount Chief Henry T. Cooper, commended Domafeign for providing the community with a platform to learn about the importance of respecting and improving their culture. “Domafeign has introduced three key initiatives for the next two years: Village Saving, prioritizing our health, and eliminating harmful aspects of our culture,” said Chief Cooper.

Chief Cooper urged Domafeign to continue what he terms “ their good work”   and assures the county’s commitment to continuing working with Domafeign to achieve their mission and vision.

Gbarma District Chairlady, Madam Maima G. Armah, expressed her gratitude for the awareness session, noting that it had enlightened her about practices in the community that were previously overlooked. “Today’s meeting has made us very happy because we learned about things that we didn’t know were harmful to us,” she said. Armah shared her realization that traditional schools, which once pulled girls out of regular schooling to learn cultural practices, were detrimental to their education, a practice she promised to challenge moving forward.

Sata Mambu, a Chairlady from the Zuo Clan, emphasized the importance of Domafeign’s presence in the community. She highlighted how harmful traditional practices, like keeping children in traditional schools without purpose, had long-lasting negative effects on the youth. Mambu pledged to support the initiative to help local communities resume production of their traditional products in a way that respects both culture and modern needs.

“At first, People used to go to the traditional Schools or Sande bush and learn how to make fishing nets, braid hair do other things, but today is not like that anymore,  they will carry the children, keep them there without doing anything or having respect for their elderly ones when they return,” Sata asserted.

In his closing remarks, Gbarma Statutory District Commissioner,  Musa D. Kamara praised Domafeign for its forward-thinking approach. “Domafeign has shown us the true meaning of ‘future,’” he stated. Kamara reflected on how, in the past, Gbarpolu’s culture had lost important elements such as traditional dancing, storytelling, and songs. He expressed hope that through Domafeign’s work, the county could reclaim the beautiful aspects of its culture while discarding harmful practices.

“This campaign is about adding value to the positive parts of our culture and ensuring that our cultural heritage is preserved in a way that promotes progress, not regression.

“Today Domafeing says no, we still have to recognize the beautiful part of our culture in the midst of the dis and misinformation that they have come to get rid of our entire cultural activities,” Commissioner Kamara concluded.

With such widespread support from the community, Domafeign’s awareness campaign in Gbarpolu County marks a crucial step toward a more equitable and respectful society.