Djarawélé and the Fifth Person Principle
"If you know you are right, keep on going," says Susan McLucas, describing how the "fifth person principle" has come into play in convincing excisers to stop. Djarawélé stopped after Sini Sanuman president Siaka Traore came to her: Siaka was the fifth person who came to advocate against FGC. Djarawélé was very angry at the first person, still somewhat angry with the next person, but aware that she was hearing the same message. By the third person, she felt a mixture of anger and awareness that perhaps lots of people didn't like her excising girls. By the fifth person, it was beginning to feel to her like everyone didn't like what she was doing and she decided to go along with the majority and stop.
Once converted, Djarawélé helped Sini Sanuman by telling her would-be customers that she'd stopped excising, and why, and by inviting neighbors, including women that she'd trained to do excision, to a Sini Sanuman meeting at her house. Our volunteers Sali Kone (accent ague) and Dr Abdu Salam Kouyate shared a presentation with a group packed into Djarawélé's living room: almost all of them signed the Pledge. When we asked Djarawaele, a year later, whether all of them had stopped for good she said, she was sure, since she had told them all and she was their leader. Djarawélé is now selling traditional medicines -- making somewhat less income than before -- but she says she is proud of her decision.