In East Africa, Rites of Passage for Girls Focus on Education, Not Circumcision

For nomadic Maasai groups in East Africa, the transition from girl to woman takes place in an age-old, four-day ritual. The girls are dressed in their finest clothes and adorned with their most beautiful jewelry. Until recently, this ritual also involved female genital cutting, a dangerous practice that causes many painful complications throughout a woman's life. Now, with the help of village elders and international NGOs, cutting has been replaced with lessons on sexuality and self-confidence.