The Girls in the Wild Fig Tree: How One Girl Fought to Save Herself, Her Sister and Thousands of Girls Worldwide

Nice Leng'ete was raised in a Maasai village in Kenya, and her parents fell sick and died in 1998. Nice and her sister Soila were taken in by their father's brother, who had little interest in the girls beyond their dowries. Nice and Soila climbed a tree to hide from the cut, which was the fate of all Maasai women. Nice hoped to find a way to avoid the cut forever, but Soila understood it would be impossible. After Soila chose to undergo the surgery, sacrificing herself to save Nice, their lives diverged. Nice postponed receiving the cut, continued her education, and became the first in her family to attend college. Supported by Amref, Nice used visits home to set an example for what an uncut Maasai woman can achieve, and the village has since ended FGM entirely. Nice's journey from a heartbroken child and community outcast to a leader of the Maasai is an inspiration and a reminder that every girl is worth saving.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 17 March 2022
Publisher: Headline Publishing Group

A true hero embodies the qualities of Nice Leng'ete, a remarkable individual whose life story is captured in an elegant and inspiring memoir featured in the New York Times. Nice, born and raised in a Maasai village in Kenya, faced a tragic turn of events when her parents fell sick and passed away when she was just six years old. Left in the care of her father's brother, who showed little interest in her and her sister Soila beyond their potential dowries, Nice and Soila found themselves in a precarious situation. Fearing the painful and sometimes deadly ritualistic surgery known as female genital mutilation (FGM), which was the fate of all Maasai women, Nice and Soila took drastic measures to protect themselves. They climbed a tree to hide, desperately seeking a way to avoid this fate forever.
Nice held onto the hope of finding a way to permanently evade the cut, but her sister Soila understood the impossibility of their situation. However, she made a selfless decision, choosing to undergo the surgery to save her sister. In doing so, their lives took different paths. Soila married, dropped out of school, and had children during her teenage years, while Nice postponed receiving the cut, continued her education, and became the first in her family to attend college.
Supported by Amref, Nice embarked on visits home, using these opportunities to set an example for what an uncut Maasai woman can achieve. Her unwavering determination and resilience caught the attention of other women in the community, and the elders began to recognize the value of intact, educated girls as the way of the future. Over time, the village underwent a significant transformation, and FGM was completely eradicated. Nice's journey from a heartbroken child and a community outcast to a leader of the Maasai is an inspiration and a reminder that one person can make a profound difference in the world. It serves as a testament to the power of resilience, education, and the belief that every girl is worth saving.
Nice's story continues to inspire and empower individuals and communities around the globe, advocating for the eradication of FGM and promoting the rights and empowerment of girls. Her journey serves as a reminder that every girl has the potential to thrive, and it is our collective responsibility to create a world where every girl is safe, valued, and given the opportunity to reach her full potential.

Weight: 186g
Dimension: 129 x 197 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472275844