This, she said, was because everything I needed in life was owned by people. So, if I had people, I would get whatever I wanted.
At just 11 years of age, I couldn't fully understand the weight of her words, but over time, I came to realize it wasn't about the number of people around you but the quality of the relationships you build.
I am grateful that having followed her advice, I've always been able to connect with people easily, build strong connections, and foster long-lasting friendships.
Over time, I have come to understand women as the source of life. They give birth to us, they nurture and raise us. This is simply because women are naturally patient, persistent, courageous, and remarkable managers. They are the pillars of development in families, nations and continents.
If women can give birth and raise the soldiers who defend us, then surely they can be great soldiers themselves. Women are more than capable of becoming colonels, generals, and leading battles.
If they give birth to famous individuals and raise gifted people, they can excel in any field. Be it as singers, dancers, designers, pastors, or leaders.
As we celebrate International Women's month, it's crucial that we recognize their heroism and the sacrifices they make for all of us. Women are not only life-givers, but they are the ones who shape homes into families. They carry the weight of pregnancy, which is nothing short of a battlefield.
Pregnancy is not a pleasant experience. It's a journey that lasts nine months, carrying immense physical and emotional risks. Women spend these months walking through life with another developing human being in the womb.
While pregnancy is a battlefield, the delivery process itself is a thin line between life and death. Many women tragically lose their lives during childbirth, while others lose their babies after that gestation period.
Those who survive and become mothers emerge as nothing short of heroes, having faced challenges that most cannot even imagine.
As we celebrate women this month, we must remember the sacrifices they make for us to exist. Our mothers pay the price for our lives, our wives pay the price for our children, and our daughters pay the price for future generations.
Women die so that we can live. They eat and drink even when they don't feel like it, just so we are nourished. They sleep not because they feel tired, but to ensure we rest. Their sacrifices are priceless, and their love is endless. They are the foundation of our existence, the driving force behind our progress, and the source of our success.
As men, we ought to recognize and advocate for the little things they need. Simple things like allowing them to take a few days off for their monthly cycles, or easing their working conditions by allowing them to work from home during painful periods. These small actions would have a profound impact on their lives.
And to the ladies, you can be anything you want in this world. You may be the first, but certainly not the last.
If Vigdís Finnbogadóttir and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became presidents, if Isabel Perón and Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe became vice presidents, if Benazir Bhutto and Sirimavo Bandaranaike became prime ministers, if Sandra Day O'Connor and Aloysie Cyanzayire led the Supreme Court, then you can.
If Agathe Uwilingiyimana and Malala Yousafzai became heroes, if Nyirarwinyana Ndabaga and Loretta Perfectus Walsh became soldiers and warriors, if Meron Rugazora and Harriet Quimby became pilots" then you, too, can achieve anything.
These remarkable women, and countless others, should be the symbols of strength and courage. Women should be celebrated, not just on a single day, but all the time.
The author is a Pan-Africanist and poet
Bertin K. Ganza
Source : https://en.igihe.com/opinion/article/the-heroism-of-women-a-tribute-to-their-strength-and-sacrifices
