Nice Nailantei Leng'ete's name may not resonate with a majority of Kenyans, however, she has joined the global hall of fame after being listed among world's most influential people.
The little-known Leng’ete is the only Kenyan in the Time Magazine list in recognition of her efforts against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
According to a review done by fellow anti-female genital mutilation campaigner Jaha Dukureh from the Gambia, "as a Maasai child in Kenya, Leng'ete accomplished something remarkable: she escaped the cut, her culture’s ritualized female genital mutilation."
[caption caption="Nice Nailantei Leng’ete"]
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Dukureh, who is also a women’s rights activist further indicates that: "As an adult, Leng'ete has gone on to negotiate with village elders, who traditionally have not worked with women."
"This has seen her convince them that alternative coming-of-age ceremonies will be healthier for girls and better for communities," Dukureh heaped accolades to Leng'ete.
Reports by Amref Health Africa indicate that she has worked with the organization as a project officer saving an estimated 15,000 girls from facing the cut.
In 2016, she was selected to participate in training for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
Besides, she has worked as Anti-FGM Ambassador for Amref with her efforts bearing significant impact especially in Loitoktok, Kajiado County.
Leng'ete has been listed 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.
Other categories of the most influential people include artists, leaders, icons, and Titans with the selection being based on fame, the scale of their ambitions, and the genius of their solutions to perennial problems.
[caption caption="Nice Nailantei Leng’ete in a past event"]
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Some of the recognizable names in the list include musicians Rihanna and Jeniffer Lopez, Christopher Wylie (the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica whistleblower), Jeff Bezos (Amazon CEO), Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe's President), Prince Harry (British royal family), Kim Jong-un (North Korea), Oprah Winfrey (American media proprietor) and US President Donald Trump.
