Fundraiser for Olayinka

Rapar volunteers with Abiola, Olayinka's mother

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The campaign to help save Olayinka Olatunde from being forced to undergo Female Genital Mutilation continued today with a fundraiser to raise awareness of the campaign and raise money to cover legal fees and costs.

The fundraiser, organised by charity RAPAR and the Rochdale branch of the NUT, included a bouncy castle, live music, guest speakers, arts and crafts, face painting and a raffle.

Ciara Mullen, a volunteer with RAPAR said: “Olayinka and her family have until the end of the school year before they know if a decision is made about deportation so we are trying to raise money to cover legal fees.”

Olayinka and her family (mother Abiola and two brothers) fled to the UK in May 2010 from Nigera when Olayinka refused to undergo female genital Mutilation (FMG). Olyinka’s sister died in 1992 after undergoing the process and Abiola refused to let the same thing happen to Olayinka.

The family currently live in Rochdale and Olyinka has said she would rather die in Britain than be deported to Nigeria to endure FGM.

Ciara added: “Once we know if the family can stay in Britain, the campaign will be over but we hear about these stories more and more often. We have just heard of a similar story regarding a 13-year-old and are in the stages of starting a campaign for her.”

RAPAR is a Manchester based human rights organisation which works with people, both locally and further afield, that are at risk of having their rights denied.

“I wouldn’t like to be in that position” said Ciara “and I can’t imagine anyone that would want to be.”

The fundraiser is one of many efforts arranged to try and help Olayinka and her family.