UnCUT/VOICES Press

20/09/2025

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/frontline-ending-fgm_frontlineendingfgm-endfgm-frontlineendingfgm-ugcPost-7374065358141300736-HMs5?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAAFG9lABeiwEhHq37xJobsPEJHu9YBjwSOg&utm_source=screenshot_social_share&utm_campaign=facebook

31/07/2025

“They Fired Me for Being Pregnant — 20 Years Later, I Was the Guest Speaker at Their Company’s Anniversary”

PART ONE — THE LETTER OF TERMINATION

My name is Chinwendu Ofoma.
And this is the story of how I was erased… and then invited back as the voice they couldn't ignore.

I was 25.

Fresh out of NYSC.

Working as a secretary at Global Max Enterprises.

Hardworking, polite, punctual.

Everyone said I was “going places.”

Then I got pregnant.

Out of wedlock.

And everything changed.

PART TWO — THE SHAME FILE

I didn’t hide it.

I wore my bump with pride.

But in whispers, I heard:

> “How can she? She’s not even married.”
“Our brand doesn’t support moral scandals.”
“It’s bad for our image.”

Then one Monday morning…

An envelope sat on my desk.

Termination letter.

Reason: “Violation of internal moral code.”

They didn’t even let me pack my files.

PART THREE — THE WALK OF SHAME

I walked out of that building in silence.

The same building where I once stayed till 10 p.m. to submit reports.

The same building where I trained three other staff.

No one said a word.

Except the cleaner.

She hugged me and said:

> “Don’t let this destroy you, Aunty Chi.”

That sentence saved my mind.

Because at that moment?

I felt like garbage.

PART FOUR — THE SINGLE MOTHER WITH A VISION

I sold bread at night. Managed till i gave birth.

Tutored kids in the evening.

And by the time my daughter turned 5, I had saved enough to rent a small space.

That space became Mind Bridge Tutors.

A home lesson agency.

We started with 3 children.

Then 15.

Then schools began calling.

And soon, we were in 5 states.

PART FIVE — THE GIRL THEY ONCE CALLED A SCANDAL

My daughter, Adaugo, grew into a genius. Top of her class.

Loved computers.

She begged me to let her build a website for my business.

I agreed.

That one website attracted a European sponsor.

They gave us a grant to digitize education for out-of-school children.

We launched a nationwide campaign.

31/07/2025

And their diffidence empowers pathological liars

13/12/2024

Meeting my good friend Angela Shaw, Harvard Law School graduate, in Belgium on Thanksgiving. The photo was taken in Brussels Airport. Giving Thanks for more than 25 years of friendship, inspiration, support, good fun and laughter -- despite our mutual concern for the so-called ethics governing the nation we both left for, respectively, Germany and France. With far more to explain/teach/preach about our life's choices ...

01/12/2024

A special joy came this Thanksgiving Day, meeting Angela Shaw DeCock in the Brussels Airport. Together, we ascended the 'throne' in the lobby and proceeded to tackle the Belgian medical bureaucracy before lunching in the Passage de la Reine off the golden central square.

25/11/2024

Let’s Do It!
In honor of the UN International Day to End Violence against Women – 25 November 2024

https://globalmediacampaign.org/

Praise for tenacity, professionalism, and dedication to ending FGM goes to , a project of the Global Media Campaign whose approach deserves unqualified applause. While full-time teaching, I hadn't time or resources to do what I knew was the best line of attack now being realized by Maggie O'Kane and her teams at the grassroots: teach youth to deploy media and thereby change the 'social norm' consensus on FGM. As major funders largely shutter their coffers, please also consider making a donation, knowing it will be put to good use.

GLOBAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO TO END FGM The Global Media Campaign to end fgm takes the fight in Africa straight to the frontlines – supporting a movement of over 1000 activists and local women’s rights organisations in 15 countries. Female Ge***al Mutilation is a worldwide issue that concerns 230 mi...

30/10/2024

With (l to r) Mame Toucouleur MBaye, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Senegal in Los Angeles; Dr. Tobe Levin von Gleichen; Dr. Leyle Hussein OBE; Alimatu Dimonekene MBE, Comfort Momoh MBE; Nejma Sayeh; Ani Zonneveld