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I Will Scream to the World: My Story. My Fight. My Hope for Girls Everywhere.
This extraordinary memoir details the monumental journey of one young Gambian woman from survivor of FGM and forced child marriage, to global activist and political leader who became UN Women's first Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, and among the youngest people nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
On the wedding night of her first arranged marriage, fifteen-year-old Jaha learned that she had undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as an infant. That painful discovery, coupled with her experiences with a second arranged marriage, set Jaha on her path as an activist—a courageous mission that would require her to brave hostility in her community and family, and even attempts on her life.
Despite the challenges, and with ever-growing determination, Jaha founded Safe Hands for Girls, an organization that succeeded in having FGM banned in Gambia. She is now working to eradicate FGM and forced child marriage worldwide by 2030 and running to be the next President of The Gambia.
I Will Scream to the World! recounts Jaha’s ongoing, uphill journey to be seen as a survivor, activist, but most of all as a human. She dives into her childhood to show the root causes of her crusading, shares her personal and professional life, and explores, as only a survivor can, a practice that while violent and troubling, is often culturally misunderstood.
Above all, Jaha’s unflinchingly honest memoir is a story of resilience and extraordinary fearlessness, of the strength that comes with learning to love oneself, and of the power within everyone to create meaningful and lasting change.
On the wedding night of her first arranged marriage, fifteen-year-old Jaha learned that she had undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as an infant. That painful discovery, coupled with her experiences with a second arranged marriage, set Jaha on her path as an activist—a courageous mission that would require her to brave hostility in her community and family, and even attempts on her life.
Despite the challenges, and with ever-growing determination, Jaha founded Safe Hands for Girls, an organization that succeeded in having FGM banned in Gambia. She is now working to eradicate FGM and forced child marriage worldwide by 2030 and running to be the next President of The Gambia.
I Will Scream to the World! recounts Jaha’s ongoing, uphill journey to be seen as a survivor, activist, but most of all as a human. She dives into her childhood to show the root causes of her crusading, shares her personal and professional life, and explores, as only a survivor can, a practice that while violent and troubling, is often culturally misunderstood.
Above all, Jaha’s unflinchingly honest memoir is a story of resilience and extraordinary fearlessness, of the strength that comes with learning to love oneself, and of the power within everyone to create meaningful and lasting change.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published December 24, 2024
18 people are currently reading
3147 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 7, 2025
This was a powerful and inspiring read. Jaha Marie Dukureh went through so much, yet never lost sight of her mission to fight for change. Her strength, resilience, and focus on the bigger cause truly stood out. A compelling story of survival and activism.
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January 29, 20254.25 STARS
How this book ended up on my TBR: Support your local libraries. Go in there and look for books. I guarantee they've stacked some good ones near the front for your perusing, and a lot of them are darn good. This was up front at my backup library, so I picked it up while collecting my saved books.
I knew absolutely nothing about female genitalia mutilation (which I will refer to as FGM). I knew something of the reasoning behind the practice as well as the results, and I was faintly aware that FGM is still happening in some parts of the world. I didn't know that some folks practice FGM in the US even today, but 1.) this country tho, and 2.) I can certainly imagine people not dropping their religious/cultural practices because they've immigrated to a new country.
This book is very much Dukureh's story as she wants to tell it. Her narration style is not everyone's cup of tea, and I wonder a little at the editing process of the book, but I would imagine she was firm about the storytelling. Having undergone FGM and two child marriages has certainly impacted Dukureh's life in myriad ways, many of which she attempted to explain in her memoir. Even though "enjoy" is a strong word for this book, I felt like everything she accomplished shows how strong of a figure she is. And I think that's the picture she wants to present to young girls everywhere, especially young African girls. They are the primary audience for this book. She mentions how many of the topics she discusses in the book are taboo in her culture. You don't talk about sex or FGM. It was interesting to see her exploring the roots of FGM in her community, in that some people will say it's a religious practice without any mention in the Qu'ran. And yet the tradition continues, though less so now that it has been outlawed in the Gambia.
Each chapter really is sort of a non-chronological snippet of Dukureh's experience, but it doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the book. I will say that at times it felt like she was sort of obfuscating, but only in the context of sharing details of her personal life. I certainly lost steam near the end of the book, when she was sharing the story of her run for Vice President of the Gambia. What did this have to do with FGM and child marriage? But of course it's all linked for her. And look at her! Someone who likely still deals with both and actually ran for political office. And she's not done. That has to be such an inspiration for the young African girls that she's trying to reach. So this wasn't really a fun read, but I did learn a lot, and I'm glad I read it. I wish her much success.
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PS. If you all ever go to The StoryGraph, let's be friends there! Here's my profile.
How this book ended up on my TBR: Support your local libraries. Go in there and look for books. I guarantee they've stacked some good ones near the front for your perusing, and a lot of them are darn good. This was up front at my backup library, so I picked it up while collecting my saved books.
I knew absolutely nothing about female genitalia mutilation (which I will refer to as FGM). I knew something of the reasoning behind the practice as well as the results, and I was faintly aware that FGM is still happening in some parts of the world. I didn't know that some folks practice FGM in the US even today, but 1.) this country tho, and 2.) I can certainly imagine people not dropping their religious/cultural practices because they've immigrated to a new country.
This book is very much Dukureh's story as she wants to tell it. Her narration style is not everyone's cup of tea, and I wonder a little at the editing process of the book, but I would imagine she was firm about the storytelling. Having undergone FGM and two child marriages has certainly impacted Dukureh's life in myriad ways, many of which she attempted to explain in her memoir. Even though "enjoy" is a strong word for this book, I felt like everything she accomplished shows how strong of a figure she is. And I think that's the picture she wants to present to young girls everywhere, especially young African girls. They are the primary audience for this book. She mentions how many of the topics she discusses in the book are taboo in her culture. You don't talk about sex or FGM. It was interesting to see her exploring the roots of FGM in her community, in that some people will say it's a religious practice without any mention in the Qu'ran. And yet the tradition continues, though less so now that it has been outlawed in the Gambia.
Each chapter really is sort of a non-chronological snippet of Dukureh's experience, but it doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the book. I will say that at times it felt like she was sort of obfuscating, but only in the context of sharing details of her personal life. I certainly lost steam near the end of the book, when she was sharing the story of her run for Vice President of the Gambia. What did this have to do with FGM and child marriage? But of course it's all linked for her. And look at her! Someone who likely still deals with both and actually ran for political office. And she's not done. That has to be such an inspiration for the young African girls that she's trying to reach. So this wasn't really a fun read, but I did learn a lot, and I'm glad I read it. I wish her much success.
--
PS. If you all ever go to The StoryGraph, let's be friends there! Here's my profile.
December 31, 2024
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Kensington Books for choosing me.
Inspiring, fierce, strong, and intelligent are words that come to mind when I think of how to describe this incredible woman known as Jaha Marie Dukureh. She has been through unfathomable pain and trauma, and no one would blame her if she just "gave up." Instead, she forged a path for herself. She fought for her life and succeeded. She gave voice to so many people throughout her journey. She's still fighting, and I'm sure that will never change.
Although it deals with heavy topics that can be triggering to some, this book needs to be read by anyone who has a mother, sister, daughter, or friend who's a woman. Really, anyone who says they love and respect women should pick up those book. It's a book that needs to be talked about because that's the only way to raise awareness, and it needs to be shouted about from the rooftops.
Inspiring, fierce, strong, and intelligent are words that come to mind when I think of how to describe this incredible woman known as Jaha Marie Dukureh. She has been through unfathomable pain and trauma, and no one would blame her if she just "gave up." Instead, she forged a path for herself. She fought for her life and succeeded. She gave voice to so many people throughout her journey. She's still fighting, and I'm sure that will never change.
Although it deals with heavy topics that can be triggering to some, this book needs to be read by anyone who has a mother, sister, daughter, or friend who's a woman. Really, anyone who says they love and respect women should pick up those book. It's a book that needs to be talked about because that's the only way to raise awareness, and it needs to be shouted about from the rooftops.
September 27, 2024
I Will Scream to the World by Jaha Marie Dukureh is a fascinating memoir about a brave young woman. Ms. Dukureh was the victim of female genital mutilation as an infant. At the age of 15 she was sent from her home country of Gambia to the US for a force arranged marriage with a man decades older than her. She escaped this marriage while living in the US as an undocumented immigrant and found herself a child bride a second time. Despite this harrowing childhood, Ms. Dukureh persevered, prioritized her education allowing her to become an activist.
I recommend this book. Ms. Dukureh is an inspiring woman who has made significant impacts.
I give this book 4 stars. The memoir reads more like a collection of essays. Some of the essays and stories felt incomplete. Some of the essays included did not support the overall narrative in my opinion. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I recommend this book. Ms. Dukureh is an inspiring woman who has made significant impacts.
I give this book 4 stars. The memoir reads more like a collection of essays. Some of the essays and stories felt incomplete. Some of the essays included did not support the overall narrative in my opinion. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2025
“My brothers refuse to tolerate negative comments about me, staunchly defending our bond. Each one of them echoes my father's famous proclamation about me: ‘We did not create her, but she is our blood, and we won't cast her aside.’”
“One girl saved does not ease the pain of another one lost.”
“I fight because I am worth it. I fight because women are worth it. I fight because children are worth it. I fight because all people are worth it.”
“For example, Safe Hands wanted to understand why significantly more boys than girls were going on to college, even though high school graduation rates were good for both genders. If you looked at the problem from the outside, you might think the parents were biased, that they did not care if the girls got further education. But the truth was most of the colleges required the girls to travel alone, which made them vulnerable to harassment and violence. Their parents were protecting them. Instead of focusing on bias, a better solution might be to fund safe transportation for girls to get to school and attain a higher education degree.”
“A more appropriate approach would be grounded in mutual respect and recognition of the dignity of every individual. No one chooses to be born into poverty or suffering. As such, development organizations must divest themselves of the “white savior” mentality, which implies a level of superiority over those they are helping.”
“I often ask myself, “Have I truly survived?” To me, the word survivor feels inadequate, almost superficial, to describe the profound complexities of my experiences. It is because being a survivor is not about the destination or an endpoint. It is an ongoing expedition, a continuous dance of facing challenges, embracing vulnerabilities, and striving for equilibrium. To label myself as a “survivor” would be to ignore the ebbs and flows, the progress and regressions, and the intricate layers of healing and rediscovery that shape my identity.
Some might say, “But you've made it through. You are here, aren't you? Is that not survival?” Indeed, by that logic, I have survived. But is survival merely the act of existing? Is it simply drawing breath and moving through days? Or is it an ever-evolving state of being that acknowledges the scars that pain leaves behind?”
“One girl saved does not ease the pain of another one lost.”
“I fight because I am worth it. I fight because women are worth it. I fight because children are worth it. I fight because all people are worth it.”
“For example, Safe Hands wanted to understand why significantly more boys than girls were going on to college, even though high school graduation rates were good for both genders. If you looked at the problem from the outside, you might think the parents were biased, that they did not care if the girls got further education. But the truth was most of the colleges required the girls to travel alone, which made them vulnerable to harassment and violence. Their parents were protecting them. Instead of focusing on bias, a better solution might be to fund safe transportation for girls to get to school and attain a higher education degree.”
“A more appropriate approach would be grounded in mutual respect and recognition of the dignity of every individual. No one chooses to be born into poverty or suffering. As such, development organizations must divest themselves of the “white savior” mentality, which implies a level of superiority over those they are helping.”
“I often ask myself, “Have I truly survived?” To me, the word survivor feels inadequate, almost superficial, to describe the profound complexities of my experiences. It is because being a survivor is not about the destination or an endpoint. It is an ongoing expedition, a continuous dance of facing challenges, embracing vulnerabilities, and striving for equilibrium. To label myself as a “survivor” would be to ignore the ebbs and flows, the progress and regressions, and the intricate layers of healing and rediscovery that shape my identity.
Some might say, “But you've made it through. You are here, aren't you? Is that not survival?” Indeed, by that logic, I have survived. But is survival merely the act of existing? Is it simply drawing breath and moving through days? Or is it an ever-evolving state of being that acknowledges the scars that pain leaves behind?”
January 9, 2025
3 ½ stars. This author has certainly lived an extraordinary life in her first 30+ years. Her story is fascinating and impressive. The flow of the stories throughout the book is choppy, though. I think some additional editing would have been helpful or having a ghostwriter to help tell her stories in a smoother, more readable fashion. I’m just not interested in hearing what awards she received or what famous people she met. I’m more interested in her actual work– the conversations and actions she takes to achieve her goals. I look forward to seeing what else this author achieves, she certainly has the ambition to do great things!
January 3, 2025
A powerful memoir about activism and women's rights to start the year? Let's go! Jaha Dukureh takes every little piece of herself, from love to horrors, from joy to heartbreak, and uses them to fight for a better world for women everywhere. Her tale is the stuff of modern history: everyone acts like abolishing FGM is a distant memory, rather than an ongoing issue, and by sharing her story "to scream", Dukureh reminds us not to look away.
January 22, 2025
This book shows how easy your life can be different just on where you are born. It is a very hard story to read the crimes against young women and women in general that occur throughout the world is awful. The book shows one woman's journey and her ability to overcome and become more. The structure of how this book is written makes it hard to read at times, which makes some of the information drag out. Besides that, I enjoyed this book and am grateful for the knowledge I gained.
April 30, 2025
It's very informative about FGM and I learned a lot, which I thoroughly enjoyed expanding my knowledge of a subject not openly discussed in the western side of the world. Jaha has lived a captivating life so far and is very inspirational. It was a tad repetitive at times is the reason for 4 stars. Worth the read!
March 19, 2025
A powerful history of one woman’s journey trying to change history so her daughter does not have to suffer the atrocities she has, including female genitalia mutilation and being a child bride, which are common accepted practices in many African countries.
April 29, 2025
Thank goodness for people like Jaha Marie Dukureh. I appreciated her compassionate approach to activism, which focuses on building relationships and cultural understanding. Her future looks bright, and I'm eager to see what she accomplishes next. Thanks for the giveaway!
June 14, 2025
4.5
There's something so special about audiobooks read by the author and this book was no exception. Hearing Jaha tell her story, in her words, in her voice really drove home how important the work she's doing is!
There's something so special about audiobooks read by the author and this book was no exception. Hearing Jaha tell her story, in her words, in her voice really drove home how important the work she's doing is!
October 16, 2024
fascinating and interesting memoir of a person I had vaguely heard of but never really looked into, and her life is so inspiring and brave. tysm for the arc.
January 10, 2025
This was not an easy book to read. It was a challenge to read about FGM, child marriages and how women were treated. It was also inspiring and left me with hope.
February 8, 2025
How did I not know about this young activist? Her passions? Accomplishments?
From a rough childhood to horrific teen years to ensure she protects others.
From a rough childhood to horrific teen years to ensure she protects others.
February 21, 2025
It was a hard but amazing book to read, and I'm glad that I won it from Goodreads
May 23, 2025
*Audiobook*
December 17, 2024
In another time and place, Dukureh's story might have been simple. She grew up with a fair amount of privilege in The Gambia, and for the most part the odds were in her favor. Except: her community practiced female genital mutilation (FGM),* and when she was pushed into an arranged marriage at the age of 15, she learned just how devastating the results could be.
I've read a reasonable—not huge—amount about FGM before, and I always appreciate memoirs that are by people who are working to change things within their own communities; there's nothing wrong with a well-done outsider memoir, but truths hit differently when they're written by people who have lived them. And Dukureh has done a lot with her life: after not one but two child marriages (in the US, it should be noted, lest you think that this is not a western problem), she started speaking out to raise awareness of, and laws against, FGM and more generally to improve the lives of girls in her communities. I'll note again that the issues she talks about are not unique to one region, and that she did not get the support she needed as a teenager: When I told the school guidance counselor...in New York City what was going to be done to me, she did not believe me. (loc. 445**)
The material is gripping and the activism powerful. The writing and the structure of the book are neither of those things. Dukureh is not a trained writer, of course, and sometimes it's worth it to just tell the story anyway, but I think a ghostwriter could have helped here. Significant events are covered in rapid fire, often with litanies of awards bestowed and important people met; there's a chapter in the middle that would be better suited as part of an Acknowledgements section; the structure shifts between chronological and thematic; we hear over and over how grateful Dukureh is to have received so many accolades...and just, I'm not that interested in awards received and famous people befriended. I'm interested in the work that she's doing, and the conversations that she's having, that get skimmed over in the book.
I'd also have loved to see more discussion of what it means to ban FGM vs. what it means to end FGM; Ashley Judd notes in the foreword that there is a shocking prevalence of FGM even in [the United States], despite the fact that FGM is illegal here (loc. 57), but most of the discussion in the book is more about what it takes to ban FGM elsewhere, not what conversations have to be had with the people and communities practicing it to get the community support to end it rather than just pushing it deeper into the shadows.
This wouldn't be high on my reading recommendation lists, but I expect to hear more about Dukureh in the future—she has ambitious plans.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Some sources prefer the term "female genital cutting" (FGC) in the interest of keeping lines of dialogue open with those who support the practice; for the sake of this review, I'll follow Dukureh's lead and call it FGM.
**Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
I've read a reasonable—not huge—amount about FGM before, and I always appreciate memoirs that are by people who are working to change things within their own communities; there's nothing wrong with a well-done outsider memoir, but truths hit differently when they're written by people who have lived them. And Dukureh has done a lot with her life: after not one but two child marriages (in the US, it should be noted, lest you think that this is not a western problem), she started speaking out to raise awareness of, and laws against, FGM and more generally to improve the lives of girls in her communities. I'll note again that the issues she talks about are not unique to one region, and that she did not get the support she needed as a teenager: When I told the school guidance counselor...in New York City what was going to be done to me, she did not believe me. (loc. 445**)
The material is gripping and the activism powerful. The writing and the structure of the book are neither of those things. Dukureh is not a trained writer, of course, and sometimes it's worth it to just tell the story anyway, but I think a ghostwriter could have helped here. Significant events are covered in rapid fire, often with litanies of awards bestowed and important people met; there's a chapter in the middle that would be better suited as part of an Acknowledgements section; the structure shifts between chronological and thematic; we hear over and over how grateful Dukureh is to have received so many accolades...and just, I'm not that interested in awards received and famous people befriended. I'm interested in the work that she's doing, and the conversations that she's having, that get skimmed over in the book.
I'd also have loved to see more discussion of what it means to ban FGM vs. what it means to end FGM; Ashley Judd notes in the foreword that there is a shocking prevalence of FGM even in [the United States], despite the fact that FGM is illegal here (loc. 57), but most of the discussion in the book is more about what it takes to ban FGM elsewhere, not what conversations have to be had with the people and communities practicing it to get the community support to end it rather than just pushing it deeper into the shadows.
This wouldn't be high on my reading recommendation lists, but I expect to hear more about Dukureh in the future—she has ambitious plans.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Some sources prefer the term "female genital cutting" (FGC) in the interest of keeping lines of dialogue open with those who support the practice; for the sake of this review, I'll follow Dukureh's lead and call it FGM.
**Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
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February 21, 2025In the memoir, “I Will Scream to the World” author, Jaha Marie Dukureh, discusses the deeply wounding and profound effects that FGM (female genital mutilation), child marriage, and gender-based violence has had on not just her own life but the lives of millions of women and girls around the world. The chapters include examples of activism, initiatives, and people who have been an integral part of the success of the author and her fight against these social injustices. The author’s voice while discussing tremendously difficult subjects comes off as authentic and passionate, however, the flow of the stories is lacking an overall smooth progression. I found the story as a whole, the author’s work, and perseverance to be admirable. I also believe this book is a good introduction to bringing awareness to difficult topics such as FGM that many people may have little to no knowledge of.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
I received this book as an ARC, all opinions expressed in this review are my own.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
I received this book as an ARC, all opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews