Celebrating Our Women
Growing up, I always admired all the women in my life cause I saw how determined, strong and dependable they were. I never got the chance to meet my grandparents as both died years before I was born. This partially explains why I perceive women as strong because despite their husbands’ death, things still went on and their families remained solid. That's why it's not a surprise that in most families, women are the glue for they are woven by life's circumstances to be able to overcome the oddities that life entails. It's also true that a child's first bond is usually the mother; having spent some time in their wombs just connecting with and in them, a good headstart in bonding that a mother has over the father.
The concerns we have today relate to how women were brought up. In both traditional and contemporary cultures, women are taught how to live in families, from how a proper home should be and how to remain strong for themselves and their children. The virtues are instilled in them from a young age, from simply understanding how to sit to knowing how to welcome guests.
The teachings never end at childhood but progress to their young adulthood stages where they are taught to care for their homes and husbands. A major failing was to also show the women that they can be anything they aspire to be. Not all families failed in that, but I can say most because the effects can be seen. In the traditional African cultures, the girl would barely get education, and if she does, it felt like a burden. Girls were also pushed to settle for less while they could be more. That's why traditionally, one would opt to be a housewife than to also work to help provide.
In the recent times where women empowerment has been advocated for, many views have sparked, and with the continuous women talk on empowerment, some feel it comes at an expense of the boy child being left out. With the current progress being made, women are being given more power or taking back the power to be themselves and try anything. New talks on equality and gender role wars make people take sides forgetting the purpose of women empowerment, which was to help women to access everything that a man can. Some careers that were once male dominated are having encouraging numbers of women on it.
Recently, while carrying out some research, I stumbled upon a series. The series is titled ‘Lidia poët’. It's about this young woman who studied law, and even got admitted to the bar of Turin but later on was disbarred, all because she was a woman. It then goes to show how she contests the decision and despite the outcome, she still goes on to practice law, though now under her brother who is an advocate.
During that period all the cases she took up or forced her brother to take guaranteed true justice under her lead. Season 1 ends as she challenges the appeal of being disbarred and still loses the case; hence, she decides to go to America. America is the new world where women can be anything. This is the late 19th century so to put into context just how far we've come from those times to where we are at where many rights have been championed for women it goes to show off the progress. We might not yet still be there but I feel it's a step towards the right direction.
The education of women is now being financed and the financial literacy of women also increased. In Kenya, they get education from a time where their cut off points to the university were slightly lower than those of men, and this has paid off because girls are now topping the national exams showing just how they're being empowered. If we get to appreciate, educate, and empower our girls from a young age, they'll grow up more empowered because it would come naturally to them. So as you advocate for women empowerment, start from homes where these kids are born, a good testament of charity begins at home.
So, on this day, It is wonderful to reflect on what it takes to be a woman. Being a man, I can't even fathom so I can't grasp it all, but because I'm also born of a woman, and they're women in my life I've learnt alot from their lives. Having been born with hemophilia, my elder brother and I made my mum adapt even more. In this case, she was a mother fighting for her kids to live. I saw how she made sure we got help in a time when not all knew hemophilia, forcing her to even travel all the way to Nairobi in search of a solution.
That shows the sheer will of women. It's through her endless efforts that within no time, we got to know more and more of hemophilic patients as she helped them get medical attention, as she'd go to each hospital explaining what hemophilia was. Through her efforts and KHA, we had our very first clinic in the Coastal Region at Coast General Hospital in Mombasa. I'm sure they're more interesting stories out there about women who've defied odds and I feel that's amazing.
Happy international women's day.
As a girl my dad was always my pillar
Making me always take centre stage
Telling me that just like a caterpillar
I'm young today but like a butterfly 🦋 I'll come of age
That once I grow up I need to own my glow
To always put my head up as I walk
That's why on the runway I flow
Like the words in this poem that also talk
He always told me that I don't need validation
That what I need is to believe in me
That for people to want to listen I need a vision
But all that can only start with me
For I know who the woman I want to be
And that everyone can only just watch
Just like how they watch when a bee
Does a dance round a flower across the porch
He told me not to be afraid to go forward
And speak my truth everytime
He told me that it might feel awkward
But they'll come a time people would make time
They'll make time to come and listen to me
And heed what I have to say
Cause all it takes is me
To go forth and make a way
A way so that all who will come after me
Find a society of women empowered
Women who just like me
Went through strife because they dared
They dared to take a chance to bring change
So that every girl gets to go to school
So that their can be actual change
For women to be great and not a tool
And one day as mother I will always tell my girl
Don't stop glowing cause the world says so
Go get your shine on girl
For you different and you know so
The PO£T
Comments
Really nice
Amazing piece @MikkiTarz , am now feeling as if I've watched the series 😃. True point we need to empower women and give them as vast opportunities as possible to reach their potential.