Kenya's Nice Nailantei Named in Time Magazine's List of 100 Most Influential Persons in the World

Kenya's Nice Nailantei Leng'ete has been named in the 2018 Time Magazine list of 100 most influential personalities in the world. The anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) crusader was recognized on Thursday night over her role in helping members of the Maasai community to end the retrogressive cultural practice.

Nailantei works as a project officer with Amref Health Africa and has rescued more than 15,000 girls around Kenya from the cut and forced early marriage.

“As a Maasai child in Kenya, [Nailantei] accomplished something remarkable: she escaped the cut, her culture’s ritualsed female genital mutilation,”said Time magazine.

She is credited with convincing village elders, who advocated for FGM and child marriage, to denounce the practices and push for the empowerment of the girl child.

Amref Health Africa’s global CEO Githinji Gitahi described her an extraordinary person who is passionate about the rights of girls.

"[She] is transforming social norms and practices so they can become the women they want to be," Gitahi said. "I have the privilege of knowing [Nailantei] and seeing how she is improving the lives of girls every day."

Nailantei ran away from her home at the age of eight to avoid circumcision, a common practice in Noomayianat village, where she grew up.

 "After the loss of her parents,  Nailantei could have given up and followed the norm, knowing that challenging attitudes in male-dominated communities can get you cast out."

"But instead, she fought to get an education so she could help change the socio­cultural structures that continue to impede women’s lives and well-being," Jaha Dukureh, the CEO and founder of Safe Hands for Girls, said about Nailantei.

"That approach has earned her admiration and respect. She was the first woman in her community to be given a black walking stick by elders and now she speaks on a global stage, against female circumcision and child marriage. FGM and child marriage will end in Africa because of the likes of Nice."

Time Magazine listed Leng'ete under the category of pioneers including American comedian Tiffany Haddish, rapper Cardi B, astronaut Peggy Whitson, entrepreneur Whitney Wolfe, South African comedian Trevor Noah and Neuropathologist Ann McKee.

Others in the list include musicians Rihanna and Jeniffer Lopez, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Duke of the Cambridge Prince Harry, President Kim Jong-un of North Korea, American actor Oprah Winfrey and US President Donald Trump.