This year, hundreds of girls in Kenya will be missing Christmas with their families and remaining in school for fear of being sent away to undergo genital mutilation.
The BBC reports that schools in Pokot County in north west Kenya have remained open for over a month longer than normal to accomodate female students who don't want to return home.
Churches are housing girls too.
Kenya banned FGM in 2011 but eradicating the practice has proved difficult. In 2014, it was estimated that 21% of women between 15 and 49 had been cut. This is only down around 5% since the ban.
According to the report from the BBC, December is an especially high-risk time for young girls. The reasons are both cultural and financial - one girl told the BBC that her parents' motivation was because of a dowry. 'When girls are circumcised, their parents have already arrange for them to be married off.'
Across the county, events have been taking place to support the girls refusing to go home.
Back in August, the Anti-FGM board employed by the government to ensure the FGM ban is enforced renewed efforts in nearby Marakwet to deal with what they say is a 'worrying' resurgence in the practice - especially in married women requesting FGM for themselves.
You can donate this Christmas to Beyond FGM, a charity working in Pokot County to help empower and educate all those involved with FGM - to help 'change their views and change the future of young women.'
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.