by Chioma Obinna, Vanguard, Nigeria - Agatha, 14, is the fourth in a family of seven children. They are all female, and in line with the aged-long tradition in this part of the world, six of them are circumcised. At 14, Agatha was in her second year in the college when her mother gave birth to the last child - another girl. Agatha, with little knowledge gained from school, did not wait for anyone to inform her that the new baby would go the way of others and be circumcised.

Usually, most babies are circumcised on the eighth day. On the fifth day, Agatha who had had sleepless nights on how to approach the parents to stop the act led her other sisters to beg their father not to circumcise their sister. Unfortunately, the parents did not see reason. By the time the dust settled, Agatha found herself thrown out of the family house.