Let's fight for our mothers, sisters and daughters; Fight for the women is our own.
Apr 28, 2022
First story
I was raised by a single poor parent (my mother). Her plights were the exact replica of those that are being faced by other women around the world.
My father died when I was only 3 years old and that was the genesis of bad days. We became very vulnerable and helpless in the society. Immediately after his death, our land was taken away by my uncles who even beaten up my mother when she tried to complain. My mother being unschooled and poor couldn't fight for her rights legally. She became completely helpless together with her young children.
Initially, our family fully relied on small scale agriculture as the main source of income and our daily bread. Once the land was taken away, it was quite obvious that my mom was to struggle and look for an alternative means of putting food on the table. Therefore, we became very poor...I mean very poor. Some of the useful properties were sold.
Like I said, this was just a replica of what was happening and probably still happening in the society to women. When my mother was facing all these, why couldn't other stable women come for her rescue? We have women elite, there are at least some women in leadership, at least there are some women who are well off in terms social, political and economic status. But why are they silent? Does it means they can't be of help? In Africa, women are their own enemies! But I believe that the status quo will change, women will fight jointly and we shall have a better society.
Now what's the situation? We have to fight poverty. We have to empower women. Our mission as the community should be to promote economic and social self-reliance. There are many women forcing themselves in a totally failed marriages just because they can't stand alone. Women are our mothers, sisters, daughters and even friends.... fighting for women belongs to everyone. Personally, I will do it through the support of the pulse....
Women and youths are the majority in the world. It's high time we start the first. No woman, no youth shall face social injustice if we can decide to stand up for ourselves.
We've made a youth/women group. We are targeting single helpless women who are raising their children with no clear source of income. I hope we'll expand it and will be very impactful in our beloved country Kenya, Africa and the whole world in extension.
Johnson Okoth
