Across towns and villages in Liberia, a brightly branded bus has been stopping in markets, town halls, and community gathering spaces - not to transport passengers, but to drive critical conversations.
The Born Perfect Bus Tour is a community-driven initiative to end female genital mutilation (FGM). Travelling through Totota and Palala in Bong County, with outreach in Margibi, Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu Counties, the bus reached more than 3,000 people in communities where the issue has often remained difficult to discuss openly.
The goal: open dialogue among women, men, youth, and traditional leaders; shift mindsets; and strengthen political commitment to finally end FGM.
"Besides listening to the radio, this was the very first time in my life hearing about the dangers of FGM", said Daniel E. Kollie, a traditional leader and clerk for the Konawolala Administrative District in Bong County.
"The harmful part of our tradition… this was not something that I had heard conversations about in my community before."
The Born Perfect Bus's pilot tour, launched earlier this year, was supported by UN Women and the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia. The mobile outreach model was led by medica Liberia and the Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI), in collaboration with the Global Media Campaign to End FGM and the National Campaigners Against Harmful Traditional Practices.
How the Born Perfect Bus Tour is changing conversations about FGM
At each stop, the bus transformed public spaces with music, storytelling, and even comedy.
The initiative prioritizes respect, dignity, and cultural sensitivity. Activities ensured emotional safety, with voluntary survivor participation supported by trained psychosocial staff. Structured dialogues encouraged communities to reflect collectively on gender norms, traditions, and the protection of girls' rights.
Kollie, the traditional leader, described how the presence of the Paramount Chief, the highest-ranking member of the traditional government, "made the message [about the dangers of FGM] stick" with his community.
Even before the bus arrived in each community, campaign teams consulted traditional leaders, women's groups, youth representatives, religious leaders, and local authorities. These efforts built trust, addressed concerns, and ensured community ownership.
Why is female genital mutilation practised?
According to UN Women research and surveys in Bong County, the main influences that sustain the practice of FGM include:
- Culture and tradition: 63 per cent
- Social acceptance: 40 per cent
- Marriageability: 31 per cent
- Religion and health-related reasons: under 7 per cent
These findings show that its perceived social consequences - such as exclusion or reputational harm - that often push families to submit their girls to dangerous mutilation.
Ending FGM: What communities in Liberia told us
When asked what it will take to end FGM, young survivor Janet Wokpeh described the need for more awareness, especially among older generations, as well as more educational opportunities for youth outside of the bush schools - a theme that emerges throughout interviews.
What is a bush school in Liberia?
A traditional bush school is a community-based institution where children and adolescents receive cultural education and participate in rites of passage into adulthood.
Often organized by traditional societies, such as the Sande for girls and the Poro for boys, these schools provide instruction on cultural values and life skills. In some communities, these initiation rites have included practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM).
"I am a survivor", said Wokpeh. "I hope that the people present during the campaign were able to hear my story and are working to end FGM so that we can go back to school. It's not easy."
Moses Nahn, a youth president in the Konawolala District, described his little sisters and brothers as his motivation to travel to the bus stop and to bring what he learned - and unlearned - back with him: "I said [to my community], the information you all heard that [people] want to take away our tradition is wrong. It's only the harmful practices they want us to stop."
"I really want FGM to come to an end", said Nahn. "We have to come up with an initiative that will stop people from going to the bush school. People need to go to trade school and learn [useful skills]." He added that more opportunities for mothers - including economic empowerment through farming - could bring more of them on board, too.
Early results show changing attitudes about FGM in Liberia
Attendees like Kollie described being energized by the campaign, especially its educational messages that were easy to understand and adopt: "This caravan should go all over", he said. "It needs to go [around] the country and not just stop with us."
An impact assessment completed two months after the bus tour, in March 2026, found:
- increased discussion about FGM among families and in community spaces and religious centres, particularly mosques
- growing support for suspending the practice of FGM in bush schools
- a significant drop in the number of people who support sending girls - including their own daughters - to bush schools
In Gbarpolu County, traditional leaders publicly expressed support for ending FGM and stated that bush operations had stopped. In Bong and Cape Mount counties, leaders have committed to continued dialogue and engagement.
Of the participants from Gbarpolu County:
said they learned something new
said they learned something new
reported a shift in attitudes
reported a shift in attitudes
said the initiative had a positive impact on their community
said the initiative had a positive impact on their community
From community action to national efforts to end FGM in Liberia
The Born Perfect Bus Tour concluded with a stop at Liberia's National Legislature, where insights gathered across communities were presented directly to policymakers. Events like these help bridge the gap between community realities and legislative action by bringing together lawmakers, traditional leaders, civil society actors, development partners, and campaign partners.
"UN Women considers supporting the Government to end FGM as one of our top priorities in Liberia. The Born Perfect Bus Tour is one way to give women the power they need to end it." - Former UN Women Liberia Country Representative Comfort Lamptey
"I have been part of this community for over 20 years, and I haven't seen the FGM issue discussed this way", said community member Ma Watta Kanneh after participating in the campaign. "For me, I see this as progress, and with more awareness, I believe it will lead to changes in the communities."
