In the spirit of all things “women” this woman’s month, I felt like going through the pages of our history to find and celebrate remarkable women who’ve stood against the odds that threatened to consume them and did the unbelievable. In acknowledging such women, we are celebrating womanhood, what it stands for, what it looks like and how far it’s come. Let me introduce you to five dynamic women of our time.
MARTHA THOLANA.
I was watching ENCA with the family on the opening night of the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, 2016. Drawn in by the thought-provoking speech Charlize Theron gave, we sat in owe at the level of power present at the event and how it got us talking about the state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. Then, it was time to hand out the highest award of the night the Elizabeth Taylor Human Rights Award, in the field of HIV, Charlize took to the stage again to hand over the award, not before she went over the recipients credentials, and from that alone I was completely inspired, I equally gave her a round of applause when she ascended the stage, promising myself to Google her immediately, and so I did.
Martha Tholana is a Zimbabwean born and breed woman, who is openly living with HIV. She established and heads GALZ, which stands for Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe. She has been incarcerated because of her advocacy work in Zimbabwe, but has never diverted from her course. Recently the state of Zimbabwe had filed a lawsuit against her and GALZ, saying that she was operating it against state regulations, which meant that she’d have to close it down, among other things. But because this brave, smart woman has all her things in order, including a support system in Zimbabwe, the case was thrown out of court a few months later. She is passionate about issues pertaining to women and children’s rights, access to HIV related treatment, disability rights and making sure that functional health systems are established. Her advocacy efforts have led to Zimbabwe’s National Council to include LGBTI’s in its programmes. GALZ isn’t her first rodeo in the activist world, she has established other programmes and led many others, including Network of Zimbabwean Positive Women, International Community of Women Living with HIV Southern Africa, Women’s Action Group, just to name a few. Amazing woman right? I know. So, to you Martha Tholana, we raise our fists in celebration and solidarity!
MALALA YOUSAFZAI.
I can remember clear as day a few years ago, I called my mom from campus and I asked her who Malala was, because I was hearing about her all over the place, and the disappointment in her voice when she responded with “ahh, you don’t know Malala?” is too hard for me to forget. So I decided to find out, in secret, because my response to her question was “of course I do, she’s just slipped my mind that’s all”, LIES! That’s what happenz when you don’t watch the news kids.
This young lady was born 12 July 1997, according to Wikipedia, and is from Pakistan. What I found out about her, after following her work was that she was more than just the ‘girl on the news’. At age 11 she blogged for BBC Urdu, where she explicitly gave details of her life under Taliban rule, it got great attention that New York Times made a documentary about her life in Pakistan. The period that changed everything was back in October 9th of 2012, where a gunman shot her three times in the face, where one of the shots fired in the left side of her forehead travelled under her skin through her face and came out on her right shoulder. A few days later, an assassination was planned against Malala and her father, for the 12th of that month. It is safe to say, the Taliban failed.
Malala went on to become an international sensation, a symbol of hope. From 2013, 2014, and 2015, she has been found in the company of other dynamic people in the Times Magazine 100 Most Influential People in the world. She was the first winner of the National Youth Peace prize in her home country. And now holds the title of the youngest Noble Prize Laureate recipient in the world, which she receive back in 2014, at just 17 years old. You can find out much much more on this trailblazer on www.Malala.org . So to you Malala Yousafzai, we raise our fists in celebration and solidarity!
MO (MOSUNMOLA) ABUDU.
Everybody who knows me knows that I love nothing more than Nigerian EVERYTHING! Movies, music, you name it, I know it. So I was extremely excited when I found out that a new Nigerian based and female OWNED channel was coming soon. Now, three years later, Ebony Life TV, led by the head honcho in charge, CEO Madame Mo Abudu, can be seen in London, New York, and all over Africa, just to name a few, and it forms part of my favourite channels to watch. It was the interview she had after the channels 3rd birthday celebration that prompted a keen interest in me. But honestly, I just love this lady, this is Mo.
Google her you’ll find that she was born 11 September 1964 and the following listed as the many hats she wears, Talk Show host, TV Producer, Media Personality, Human Resource Management Consultant, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist. Mo Abudu’s dive into the media space came when she landed her own talk show called ‘Moments with Mo’. After many years of success, she says that she wanted to occupy more of the media space, and give Africans a platform to tell their stories, as genuinely as they need to be told. She had no experience when it came to creating, heading and financing a channel, but all those doubts couldn’t hold her back, because her dream and its intentions, where too great to be ignored, so she stepped into Multichoice offices and demanded to be heard, after discussions of proposals, she was heard. Together with the help of people she trusts, they worked together to build the dream, and on the 1st of July 2013 EBONY LIFE TV was born. This is the First Black Multi-Broadcast Entertainment Network, a PAN-AFRICAN broadcast. The channel, since inception has gone on to broadcast amazing shows, like The Spot, EL Rated, Chefrican; which is a cooking show specially dedicated to Nigerian cuisines, Before30, Desperate Housewives Africa and many many many more. My absolute favourite and a global fan favourite has to be ‘Moments’ the talk show, which is a post product of ‘Moments with Mo’. Moments is presented in four African countries, which are Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa (presented by Pearl Thusi and Lerato Kganyago). EL TV, as it’s commonly called is a sign of the breakthrough of Africa, going against stereotypes that stand against us, and entering the place “they” said we can’t, with this fire ball of a lady leading the pack, so to you Mo Abudu, we raise our fists in celebration and solidarity.
WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA
Who doesn’t know this tigress? A world renowned political activist, who was once married to the iconic Nelson Mandela. When I was growing up, in primary school specifically, my mother bought us books by Chris Van Wyk, a South African author and poet, who also wrote children’s books, and she bought his collection of Freedom Fighters books, and Winnie Madikizela Mandela was one of them. Flipping through the pages then, all I could think about was how beautiful she looked, but in growing up, I’ve come to understand that she is more than just a beautiful Xhosa queen, she’s a warrior.
Born on the 26th September 1936 in the Eastern Cape, she was born fourth of nine children. Back in 1956 she completed her studies and became a social worker. Two years later, she was part of the Mandela family, after marrying her lawyer love Nelson Mandela. She was soon acquainted with the life of a politician’s wife, and became just as strong and as formidable a force as her husband was. Never backed down from white supremacy, and never hid when she was called to battle, her story forms part of the brave pages of South Africa’s history. Even as a mother, the police continued to harass her and her small daughters. She was incarcerated several times, tortured, but she only became stronger, becoming a bigger thorn in the ass of the oppressive government. In the book ‘Conversations With Myself’, an autobiography on Nelson Mandela, which covers, for the most part, his time at Robin Island, Nelson Mandela recounts all the times Winnie had visited him, how she looked, what they spoke about. In one of the passages, he speaks of how Winnie looked to be getting more and more sickly looking, tired, but her eyes were filled with bravery, and her words, hope. She told him of all her and her comrades efforts to keep his name ringing in the oppressors ear, and how they had taken him across international borders. EL TV produced a short docu-series called ‘Winnie’ and I watched every single episode enthralled more than anything. Her bravery was beautifully portrayed, her controversial life exposed, the love for her people, for the fight for freedom, expertly executed, I gained a new found love and respect for this woman. All I ever think about when I hear her stories now is, how did she not run mad? Looking back at all she had gone through, how did she stay so strong? It’s because she was born for it, a tigress at birth, who protects her children, her love, to the finish. So to you Mother of The Nation, we raise our fists in celebration and solidarity!
Who is the fifth woman you ask?
YOU! Every woman reading this right now. No matter where you are, what you are doing with your life right now, and what you’ve been through, I have one thing to tell, okay no so much ‘one thing’, but something to say. You are dynamic, born from a lineage of strong, powerful, trailblazing, intellectual, amazing, nurturing, boundary-crushing women! You are a QUEEN, own your space. So to each and every one of you, I raise my fist in celebration and solidarity.
Article By Moshibudi Thatego Madia
