AkiDwA – Network of Migrant Women
The Challenge
AkiDwA's Changing Attitudes (Chat) Plus project, co-funded by the EU, aims to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation by raising awareness and engaging young people. We the People did this through a compelling film, a targeted social media campaign, influencer partnerships, and a strategic launch event, all executed within an €8,000 budget.
The Approach
To get the biggest impact with the budget available we proposed a single piece of creative to show, not tell, our audience about the impact of FGM. Through careful consultation with the client and survivors we created a story based on a ‘life in a minute’ concept, showing four key stages of a survivor’s life where FGM has affected her. The film takes the viewer on a journey from the innocence of childhood until the survivor herself is pregnant with a daughter and concerned about the welfare of her own child.
Working collaboratively with the Chat Plus project lead at AkiDwA we utilised every contact and resource available, engaging non-professional actors and finding suitable free locations, props and volunteer crew to maximise our tiny budget without losing impact on the final result. As we were working with volunteer non-professional actors for the film, we decided to narrate the piece with a voiceover so we didn’t need our cast to engage in dialogue. We commissioned an up-and-coming poet to compose the narration. Heal the Scars is a powerful spoken word piece written by an Irish FGM survivor. The impact of her words and her delivery, written and spoken from the heart and drawing on her own experience, adds a deep and genuine meaning to the piece that is unquantifiably powerful.
We engaged directly with journalists across print and online media, encouraging coverage of the campaign. A targeted approach was employed to connect with reporters who had previously covered FGM or related health and social issues.
In June 2024, a launch event was held at the Irish Film Institute. The event included a film screening, an opening address by AkiDwA CEO Dr. Salome Mbugua, presentations from Young Changemakers, and a panel discussion followed by a Q&A session. The event was hosted by TV host, author, and activist Emer O’Neill. A pre-screening reception provided networking opportunities with key stakeholders in health, equality, and women's rights.
The Results
All promotion of the film relied entirely on organic reach.
Within two weeks of going live, the film had 4,280 plays on Instagram. This was a significant achievement, especially considering Akidwa’s Instagram account has just over 2,000 followers. The film reached 2,678 accounts, with 81.6% of these being non-followers, meaning it connected with new audiences and spread our message even further.
The results were strengthened by the support of influencers and partners who shared the content on their personal accounts. Notable influencers like Emer O’Neill, Amanda Adé, Destiny Ayo Vaughan, Pamela Uba, Dr Lucy Michael lent their voices and platforms to the cause. Partners such as the National Women’s Council of Ireland, Irish Family Planning Association, and the End FGM European Network also shared the video, helping to further broaden the reach.
The press release was picked up by two national media outlets: The Irish Examiner and The Journal. The Irish Examiner has a print reach of 379,000, and an average of 3 million unique visitors per month. The Journal has 430,000 daily readers with an average of 5 million unique visitors per month.
Across the board, AkiDwA observed an increase in reach and engagement from non-followers, essential for mobilisation and awareness efforts. Within these non-followers, AkiDwA is reaching a younger age demographic compared to previous campaigns, which was a key objective for the film.