Living with female genital mutilation

My name is Gloria, and when I was thirteen years old, I had my genitals cut up like a mallam’s meat while I screamed in pain the whole time. My dad's older sister who never came to visit had held me down and yelled at me, landing a slap across my face while I screamed, "It is for your good, when you grow up you won't be promiscuous”. 

Was it indeed?

Three years later, my nine year old sister was called in for hers and the same lie was repeated to her. Her teary eyes begged me for help, but all I could say was, "this is what makes you a woman”, before turning my back on her. My sister started having difficulty urinating that same day. She would smell of urine and get made fun by other kids. The traditionalist had cut her urinary hole too deep and now it wouldn't stop leaking. She died from what the doctors called sepsis some weeks after.

I was young, broken and felt helpless. Even worse, I had no idea what they were doing to us. It did feel like the greatest horror I had ever experienced, and all that came after was pain. 

I didn't know what "the cutting" meant until I was 19 and picked up a flier on campus calling for an end to FGM. I attended the program afterwards, and ever since, I've been lending my voice against female genital mutilation. 

One thing I needed to know was if the mutilation can be reversed fully. 

I was told NO, but they can try. I found out some surgeries can be done for staged repair, such as:

1. Clitoral Reconstructive Surgery: This helps to surgically reconstruct part of the clitoris that was removed. 
2.  Defibulation: A surgical reopening of the vagina that was cut and sealed, to allow normal sexual function, urination and prevent childbirth complications.

Some women even rediscover pleasure after these procedures.

Unfortunately , the original tissue that has been cut can’t be fully restored.

The most definite thing to do is to prevent the next one from happening. Female genital mutilation can be fought against so that the next girl doesn't have to ask this question in the first place.