Change starts from one bold step

The “women power” is a powerful tool that can produce multiple effects and inspire other young women for greatness.    Your power as a woman can be   unearth when you discover yourself and your abilities. Discovering your self doesn’t come easily, it takes deliberate efforts, learning from others, shining the torch for others and the determination to make a difference in life. I have always asked the “how” question, because I have felt I cannot be a spectator in this world, but I must be an active citizen. I remember I pondered and deliberated on the how questions, how will I be an active citizen?   I have always been attracted by the bravery and work of other women and I felt good whenever, I read about them.

 I used to read a lot about women who are impacting their world in different ways. I wanted to know more about their ebbs of confidence, because   I am inspired by the fact that they decided to stand out among others which is evinced by their work.  I have always felt that I can impact my world than to sit in my community and watch the days and night passing every day.  I began to read about women who are making good use of their time. I started to read about Venice and Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport and   Maria Sharapova because I love tennis, and I loved their hard work and determinations. I got fascinated by Oprah Winfrey and I saw how she mustard her craft and caused   mindshift and mindset.  I read about women in politics   like Hillary and Nancy Pelosi and I admired the space they have created for themselves.   I read about Michelle Obama, followed her work, and she encouraged me   to pursue excellence.   I read about Martha Stewart and made me fall in love with being a handy woman. She is a business woman, tried many business ventures and excelled.   I read and watched Isha Sesey and I love her determination to excel.  I read a lot about Maya Angelou, listened to her inspirational talks and I got   captivated by the way she holds her beliefs and her fight for freedom and liberation of women. I loved her beautiful personality.    Oh yes, I love women who know their power and value and stand by what they believed in.  I was fascinated by the hard work of Beyoncé, giving her all in her field, and becoming successful. I was fascinated by Kim Kardashian, creating something for herself and it sells.   Create it and let it sell!  And all the not well-known women in my family and   my community whose stories inspired me

I kept asking myself, what can I also do to impact my world like these women who are doing incredible things and impacting their world. I move from reading about these public figures and started researching on what the ordinary young women around by age are doing. I met a lady called Zola from Mongolia at a gender workshop I attended, she manages her NGO called Young Women for Change, and I was fascinated by her passion to impact her world. I used to follow her activities, but it was all in Russian and I asked myself, let me search on other African women and see what they are doing. I remember I followed the work of a lady called Salorm Phiri founder of African Women Redefined, I saw her work and determination to unleash the greatness in herself and others. I looked at my self to see where my skills lie over the years, so that I could horn my skills and be impactful. I began searching to get knowledge to improve on myself. I participated in the change makers training of World Pulse as part of my quest to answer my how questions.  I must say, I was inspired by all the ladies.   The rich experiences and enthusiasm of the women who participated made me feel welcomed in my quest to use my voice. I tried hard to step out of my comfort zone, to be different, to see the different me, to see the brave daunting me. I must say the exercises the contributions by the women, everyday pushed me to be the independent me to create my own space. I had nothing but I was determined to fund my activities to do what I want to do for adolescents. I was ready to learn to be different among all the controversies, because I have seen women who were doing it. Women who were making impacts, the kick ass women, women who were living my dream.
 I looked at the grace and confidence they exude in doing it, their power and their charms to make a difference. I was attracted by the women power, and I did not want to be a less woman than that. Women have different style and different ways of wearing their passion and using our voice. I told myself, if these are the women I want to be, then I must step out and take the one step that these women did.  

 The power, passion and the grace of other women empowered me when I was asking of my “hows”. I love their unapologetically selves, gradually I was pushed to find my way.  Working in the field of women’s rights, I realized that adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights was left behind, and most girls become   an easy prey for some men.  We are always busily thinking they are naïve, they will learn later.  Was tired of the red tapes and “don’t say it this way “. I ask myself, for what benefit will we gain if we continue to dance around issues and refuse to speak or tackle it head on or comprehensively.   Naivety can never be stronger than knowledge. Although the cliché says mistakes are part of life, we cannot always allow young people to make needless mistakes by hiding knowledge from them. The sad thing is that eventually they will know, and they may get it from the wrong person.

Today, I am happy that the confidence I had to educate adolescent girls to own voice, their bodies, make their own choices and voice out all issues of abuse that makes them uncomfortable, has had an impacts in some one’s live.   One adolescent girl had the power to say no when her father tried to marry her off as a teenager. The girl was brave and stood up for herself and decided to contact her teacher to get a stronger voice to say no to early marriage and to pursue education.  She is doing well in high school now. I am thankful to all the brave women whose style and confidence and power led me to be a different me. Thankful to all the stories and situations that infuriated me not to settle for less but break free and dare to be different.

What did I learn from other women?  I learnt that it is all about visualization and challenging yourself to be the change you want to see. It is in learning from others that we muster our craft and create our own space.  I chose to watch and learn from other women and gradually it helped me to unleash my own skills. The power of a woman who knows herself and her value can produce multiple rippling effects on other women.  I was determined to make a change of myself and change the lives of others for the better.  Women, we have the power to change the world.  I am happy I was inspired by women, and I am one of the rippling effects of the work of bold women.  The bold step that you take will inspire someone tomorrow. Whatever change you want to see the power lies in you. Be you, own yourself, be unapologetically you.  Change starts when you decide to take one bold step.