The Power 1000: FGM survivor will rap her message to London’s leaders

A Senegalese hip hop singer who survived the horror of female genital mutilation will rap to hundreds of London’s most influential people about the need to stamp out the barbaric practice.

Sister Fa, who was “cut” at the age of four in a rural Senegalese village, will perform her anti-FGM songs in front of London’s leaders and opinion formers at the launch of the Evening Standard’s Power 1000: London’s Most Infuential in association with Battersea Power Station tomorrow night.

The 32-year-old, whose real name is Fatou Diatta, lives in Germany but regularly returns to Senegal to tour schools and speak to children about FGM, funded by the London-based charity Orchid Project.

She now wants to visit London schools to help the growing campaign against FGM in the UK.

She said: “I think there are some little girls in London who are at risk. We need to talk to children and schools about this. I would want to do that myself.

“In some classrooms there are children who come from immigrants — if we bring the subject up maybe they can save their sister who is at home.”

She added: “In London things can definitely change because there is something going on.” She praised the UK for its efforts, saying: “In Germany they talk about bureaucracy and punishment but don’t talk about the communities that need the information. It is a pity because they use FGM as a way of cracking down on immigration. London is a dream for me. I always say the UK is doing something to follow.”

Sister Fa told of her own experience of FGM. She remembers the sight of blood on her feet, but said: “I don’t blame the person who did it to me because she thought it was a good thing for me. But I will do my best to stop other girls from experiencing this hurtful and painful practice.”

Sister Fa will also perform on Friday at an event organised by Orchid Project as part of the London African Music Festival.

The Power 1000: London’s Most Influential in association with Battersea Power Station will be available online and on our iPad app from tomorrow evening — plus in print on Friday.

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