I am proud to be a woman

With everything that is going on in our own council, plus what is going on in Parliament, being a woman in today’s society can be tough.

Gone are the days when women were only the caregivers and nurturers of a household. Being a woman in this country and in this day and age has many meanings and the pressure is mounting.

For one, we are the decision-makers and often, the problem-solvers too. Let’s take the National Assembly Speaker, Baleka Mbete, as an example.

Her decisions were not easy to make, yet, the fate of many things rested on her shoulders. In my eyes, she is a remarkable woman for being at the forefront of the journey our country is taking.

Another powerful woman I would like to commend is JK Rowling, the British author of the phenomenal best-selling Harry Potter series. The volume of sales was so high, it has been credited with leading a revival of reading by children. She wrote the first book as a single mother, struggling to make ends meet, but her writing led to her great success.

Then I need to mention my own mother, who in my eyes, is a remarkable woman indeed. I am not going to divulge her struggles as a young mother, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for teaching me to be my own woman.

Apart from raising her family and taking care of my father, she also overcame tremendous odds and continues to inspire me.

As part of Women’s Month, I would like to thank each and every woman who supports what I am doing here at the News. Thank you for always being warm and kind towards us.

I’d like to end my note with a quote from a truly magnificent woman we can all strive to be like: “I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism and sexism” – Oprah Winfrey.