Introduction: A different route

Hi! Welcome to my blog! I had my heart set on doing the community service option for our final project, and seemed to find my ticket to doing so in the Tostan organization. While I knew my options would be limited, and I shouldn't concentrate my interests into one specific organization, Tostan's involvement with the plague that is Female Genital Mutilation really hit home with me. Although I contacted a variety of organizations, you can imagine my satisfaction upon hearing back from the Tostan organization. It was a bittersweet feeling however-- they were interested in working with me (and possibly starting a group at AU!) but asked to be contacted after October 27. Consequently, I find myself in a unique position. Faced with a topic in which I have infinite and genuine interest, and with an organization potentially but not definitely willing to work with me, I am unsure of the end result of my efforts.
Nevertheless, I intend to--essentially--work backwards. Whereas most people will inform you about their interactions with their respective organizations and then bring it all to a final thesis, I intend to do just the opposite. The upcoming blogs will inform you-- to the best of my abilites-- of the virtually inexplicable problem that is female genital mutilation. As I research, you will learn along with me-- and I will hopefully generate interest. It is my hope that this interest will come to fruition in an event with Tostan. I hope you look forward to this endeavor as much as I do and I am confident that either way the end result will be rewarding.

-Melissa