ADELE Koue Sungbeu walks through the streets of Abidjan with her head held high—a confident stride replacing the quiet shame she carried since undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) as a teenager. The 45-year-old midwife is among 28 women in Côte d’Ivoire who received free reconstructive surgery last month, part of a groundbreaking public health initiative to heal bodies and restore dignity.
The procedure, carried out at a public hospital in the economic capital, was led by Dr Sarah Abramowicz, one of France’s foremost specialists in female genital reconstruction. Speaking to AFP, Sungbeu said she had long sought the operation to repair her clitoris and labia minora. After finally undergoing it, she said, ‘I’m proud to have done it.’
FGM is still deeply entrenched in parts of West Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, one in three women has been subjected to the practice, which is internationally recognised as a violation of human rights.
‘When you look at other women, you’re completely different. That’s my problem,’ Sungbeu told AFP. ‘When I open my legs, it’s completely flat. They [partners] don’t say anything, but you feel they’re uncomfortable. And that makes you feel uncomfortable.’
Surgery meets advocacy
The surgical mission was part of a wider campaign by the Muskoka Fund, launched by the French government in 2010 to improve maternal and child health in Africa. The initiative provided the surgeries free of charge, ensuring access for women who might otherwise be priced out of care.
‘It shouldn’t be something accessible only to those who can afford it through private doctors,’ said Muskoka Fund coordinator Stéphanie Nadal Gueye.
With a €60,000 ($67,500) budget, the project covered not only the medical procedures but also extensive psychosocial care. Seven midwives and paramedics joined the mission to support patients, both before and after surgery, ensuring stigma was tackled alongside healing.
Dr Abramowicz also trained 10 surgeons from six French-speaking African countries — including Guinea, Benin, Senegal, Chad, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire — in the techniques required for female genital reconstruction. The mission aimed to build lasting capacity in local health systems.
A new generation of advocates
One patient, aged 31, told AFP she had previously travelled to Burkina Faso and paid CFA 370,000 (around $635) for the surgery, only to be turned away. ‘I was circumcised at the age of six by a midwife. It’s hampering my relationships, and my husband left because of it,’ she said, waiting for her turn at the clinic.
The emotional impact of FGM is profound. But the mission wasn’t only about recovery—it was about renewal and empowerment.
Dr Abramowicz shared that her former patients, now beaming with pride, have been sending her ‘10 photos a day’ of their reconstructed bodies. ‘The value of this mission is that it has planted seeds among healthcare workers but also among these women,’ she said. ‘They should become advocates. There’s something militant about getting repaired. The fight begins like that.’
Global issue, local solutions
According to UNICEF, more than 230 million girls and women around the world have been subjected to FGM—30 million more than in 2016. Though progress is being made, the rise in numbers underscores the need for both prevention and healing.
Sungbeu, a mother of three boys aged 22, 16, and 12, said her circumcision hadn’t caused her immediate physical difficulties. But over time, the emotional wounds became harder to ignore. Currently going through a divorce, she said the surgery was a turning point in reclaiming her autonomy.
‘It’s not just about physical repair,’ Abramowicz noted. ‘It’s about emotional restoration and breaking cycles of silence.’
From silence to strength
As the women heal, many are now speaking up. For Abramowicz and her team, this is the true success of the mission: empowering survivors to become voices of change.
By training local health workers and providing comprehensive care, the initiative offers a model for integrating FGM recovery into national health systems. The project’s lasting impact will depend on continued support, education, and policy reform — but for these 28 women in Côte d’Ivoire, the healing has already begun.
