My Musings

This is an English translation of the Swahili poem: “Mausia Kwa Kila Kijana Mwanamke” on the Kiswahili na Mashairi's page. 

 

Words Of Wisdom To Every Young Woman

By Dennis Mbae

My sister whom I adore, receive my greetings,

Wherever you are, understand I care for you,

And so as I poet, my desire is great,

To inform you O woman, things that pertain to these times.

My sister be wise, the world indeed is a College,

And if you aren't smart, you won't get through it,

Let your daily desire, be honesty and faithfulness in all your dealings,

Life becomes very difficult, when you are not disciplined.

My sister I advise you, please preserve your body,

When young men show interest in you, don't give in too easily,

Don't be a loose woman, but remain a virgin,

Until you get married, when that time comes.

When you beautify yourself, with various beauty products,

Failing to beautify, your heart aint good,

For you'll attract a group of men, who will use you,

You be made fun of, after they impregnate you.

My sister if you don't have, a man of your dreams in your life,

May God remember you, and bring him to you,

But if you have him, guard your love relationship,

Glorify God with him, and He will establish both of you.

My sister work very hard, upon entering the classroom,

Stay away from quarrels, and undisciplined students,

Do what's expected of you, and pass your exams,

If you succeed in education, all your things will be easy.

My sister be wary, drug abuse is dangerous,

Addiction is damaging, of cigarettes and other substances,

Bhang destroys the body, cocaine does even worse,

Don't make strong drink your tower, rethink about using it.

My sister fear God, always put Him first,

Strive to do His will, and you'll be free from all evil,

He'll fill you will good things, and shower you with blessings,

You'll not afraid of pestilences, they will not come near you.

My sister you are precious, you are a very rare commodity,

Never look down on yourself, and conclude you aren't important,

Your worth my beloved sister, is far above rubies,

May you permanently write, these sayings on the tablet of your heart.

A taste of Kenyan music

FROM LEFT: Kenyan music artists Juliani, Ecko Dida, Kenrazy, Frasha, and Alice Kamande just before joining Julie Gichuru on Citizen TV's SundayLive. [PHOTO: DENNIS MBAE]

 

The Day I Met Ken Walibora

When I first got to interact with Ken Walibora, it was through my elder sister’s narration of his highly acclaimed Swahili novel, Siku Njema. I was in class 5 then while my sister, Rachael, was in high school. Siku Njema was one of the compulsory Swahili set books that senior students in secondary schools countrywide had to study.

The storyline captivated me so much that I would literary leave whatever I was doing the moment Rachael, in her mellifluous voice, started unfolding the events chronologically. Being a very gifted orator, my sister invariably adopted a smug mien whenever she saw how attentive I was. Eventually, she began taking advantage of the story’s intrigue to get me to do what she wanted. Sometimes, she threatened not to tell me the rest of the narrative if I did not give in to her demands. Her wish became my command. 

 

My elder sister, Rachael.

Remembering Kongowea, Siku Njema’s main character 

I still recall how I almost shed tears when Kongowea, the main character, sat at his mother’s death bed listening to her last words. Until then, Zainabu Makame, Kongowea’s mother, had not revealed to her only child who his father was but now felt compelled to do so. In her final breath and with great difficulty, she disclosed to Kongowea his father’s location (Kitale) and directed him to enquire more information from Bi Rahma, her closest confidant. 

However, Kongowea was confused by his mother’s instruction. He did not understand how his father could be in Kitale because as much as he knew, Kitale was a Swahili word for an immature coconut. He had been born and raised in Tanzania and had never heard of a place known as Kitale located in Kenya. It was through conversing with Bi Rahma, a long while after his mother’s death, that Kongowea learned the truth about his father’s whereabouts.

Reading Siku Njema

A few days after my sister was done narrating Siku Njema to me, she gave me the novel to read on my own. I read it three consecutive times. Studying Siku Njema and learning all the difficult words explained at the back of the book stoked up my passion for Swahili. The fact that I had an ebullient and the most amiable Swahili teacher solidified my foundation in Swahili language. I won many accolades and commanded respect both within and without our school. I was unbeatable when it came to writing Swahili compositions (Insha). 

High School and University Days

My love for Swahili grew deeper as I joined high school and later University. In both institutions, I was an active member of Swahili clubs. It was during my formative days at the University that I resolved to polish my spoken Swahili, partly because it was intrinsic in my course of study: Journalism. I realized that I had to create a Swahili environment of my own simply because majority of the people I interacted with had no penchant for Swahili.

The very first step I took toward perfecting my spoken Swahili was purchasing a Swahili Bible. Besides placing me in a Swahili atmosphere whenever I read it, the Word of God would also nourish me spiritually, as is written in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (King James Version)

I also purposed to be praying in Swahili whenever I was alone with God, and to study as much Swahili literature as I could find in the University’s library.

Meeting Ken Walibora in person

I met Ken Walibora in person last week on Tuesday evening (3^rd June 2014) at Alliance Francaise, Nairobi during the unveiling of his latest book, a play known as “Mbaya Wetu” (Our Evil One). I was in the company of two of my best friends: Job Nassiuma and Millicent Randa.

Ken Walibora addressing the audience during the unveiling of his play Mbaya Wetu, at Alliance Francaise, Nairobi. PHOTO/DENNIS MBAE.

Walibora’s jovial mood made it relatively difficult for him to find the right words to welcome the audience and invite the guest speaker, PLO Lumumba.

“Sometimes, happiness may rob a person words with which to express himself,” he explained. “I’m so glad to see all of you here,” he added.

FROM LEFT: Ken Walibora, PLO Lumumba, and David Muita (The Publisher of Mbaya Wetu), unveiling the play Mbaya Wetu at Alliance Francaise, Nairobi. PHOTO/DENNIS MBAE

Renowned Swahili Scholars

PLO Lumumba reiterated the importance of Swahili language in uniting Kenyans. He took issue with public officials who addressed Kenyans entirely in English especially during official public gatherings such as national holidays.

“During this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations, I expected the President to address the Nation in Swahili and finalize his speech with few English words for our visitors’ sake. Unfortunately, that never happened,” he lamented.

Among the important guests who also spoke that evening included Linus Gitahi, the Chief Executive Officer, Nation Media Group, Swahili scholars Abdilatif Abdalla, Professor Said A. Mohammed and Professor Kimani Njogu. Guru Wallah bin Wallah, Kaka Jos (Jack Oyoo Sylvester), and renowned Swahili poets Abdalla Mwasimba and Nuhu Bakari were also present. NTV’s Nimrod Taabu was the Master of Ceremony.

 

NTV's Nimrod Taabu giving guidelines on how the unveiling of Mbaya Wetu will be conducted. PHOTO/DENNIS MBAE

The event was a conspicuous success. I got to speak one on one with some of the most revered Swahili buffs in the East African region and the world at large. I also got to interact with many Swahili enthusiasts with the most notable being a 19 year-old Journalism student from the University of Nairobi by the name Nancy Kemuma. 

Business Ideas for Women

The list of business ideas for women can never be exhausted. This is because a very wide variety of businesses that a woman can choose from exists.

However, in order to decide on the right business idea, there are a number of important things to consider. For instance, it is worthwhile to ask yourself what you need or want to get out of that business. Do you want to be a fulltime entrepreneur or are you just looking for additional income? Will you quit your job and be working from home while raising your kids?

At the same time, it is essential to know what you are passionate about. A business idea that you have little or no interest in is highly unlikely to succeed, no matter how much time, sacrifice and energy you put into it. Since hobbies and talents can also be turned into businesses, do not overlook them.  

The following are some business ideas for women which are designed to help women kick start successful business entities.

1.  Private Practice

You could already be having a profession but that should not stop you from venturing into private practice. Depending on your abilities, strengths and skills, you can start your own private practice for instance in medicine, law, consultancy, and accountancy among others.

2. Childcare Services and Baby Products

Starting up an in-home daycare is an ideal business to get into, especially if you love kids and have a lot of time and space to spare at home.  

With the baby products’ industry soaring each day, you can start creating affordable, high quality products, designing baby clothes and other accessories, or even cooking organic baby food.

    3. Freelancing

Freelancing is one of the perfect business ideas for women. There are many opportunities for freelancing especially across the web. You can decide to be a freelance writer if you have a penchant for writing.

If you have always desired to learn a new language, you can enroll in class and once you have mastered the language, you can start offering freelance translating services. Your services would become handy in seminars, schools, events, legal proceedings among other places.

    4. Event Planning and Coordination

Planning and coordinating events such as large parties, meetings, family reunions and other gatherings is often a grueling task to many people. This is a perfect business idea you can exploit if you enjoy coordinating small get-togethers or even larger events like conventions or weddings. Starting your own event-planning business is easy if you can juggle multiple tasks and have a keen eye for detail.

    5. Cleaning Services

There are always many institutions, businesses, and individuals in need of persons who can provide cleaning services at an affordable cost.

Cleaning services in one of the many business ideas for women that has enabled a lot of women make huge incomes either from putting in a few hours on weekends or late at night. From the fruit of their labor, many women have even started their own cleaning companies.

    6. Online Business

An online business can be very powerful. Depending on your area of interest or expertise, you can open an online business for products and services. For instance, you can be an online fashion designer, tutor, or consultant. You can as well make your own products such as clothes, jewelry, artwork, and other accessories, and sell them online.        

Top 8 Wedding Tips For Mothers Of The Bride Groom

 

 

Since a wedding is a major occasion not only to the groom but also to his mother, it is of utmost importance that the mother does all what is necessary to make her son’s wedding a conspicuous success. The following top-8-wedding-tips-for-mothers-of-the-bride-groom are meant to help you, as a mother, achieve just that. 

1.  Do away with your own expectations

Every mother wants to have a say in her son’s wedding. However, too much input and expectations from you can cause him much stress and thus ruin his moment of happiness. Offering to assist in the things he might need will often earn you more invitations to help than when you try bulldozing him into doing what you want. If you give him all the freedom to say what happens and when, his big day will be hassle free. 

2. Discuss money matters with your son

It is essential to sit down with the groom-to-be and talk about wedding finances. Letting him know how much you are willing to contribute to his wedding budget will lighten his burden.

3. Get to meet and know the in-laws

It has been tradition that once the engagement has been announced, the groom’s parents reach out to their soon-to-be-in-laws. As a mother, it is important to fully support your son with plans of meeting the parents of your daughter-in-law to-be. This offers an excellent opportunity for both sets of parents to not only know each more but also discuss the wedding plans. The best option is to invite everyone for dinner at a nice but casual restaurant, where everyone will relax. That way, no one will feel the stress and pressure of playing host. 

4. Allow the bride’s mother pick her dress first

Customarily, the bride’s mother chooses her dress first and then lets the groom’s mother know the color, style and length so she can choose a complimentary dress. As the groom’s mother, don’t try to change the drill and while choosing the dress colors, consult the bride and keep the wedding photos in mind. 

5.  Assess the guest list

Find out the expectations of the groom-to-be for the guest list and your reasonable input to it, bearing in mind that parents of the bride-to-be will also want to contribute. Draw up the guest list for the groom’s side only after knowing the number of guests you are allowed to invite. 

6. Back up your son and daughter-in-law at the wedding

The wedding guests can sometimes be a little demanding such as wanting extra serving at the reception or to perform a solo at the wedding. As the groom’s mother, you should handle the guests’ complaints tactfully by making them feel better while at the same time not giving in to their pushy pleas.

7. Be discreet

Should you happen not to like someone or a particular element of the wedding, just keep it to yourself. Letting it out may cause it to reach unintended persons and thus cast a shadow on the wedding occasion. 

8. Present a sentimental gift

Besides helping pay for expenses such as the rehearsal dinner, engagement rings or the honeymoon, it is worthy to give your son and daughter-in-law a sentimental gift like a family heirloom as one way of welcoming the bride into the family. 

Reasons Why You Should Get Married Before 30

 

Innumerable books, magazines, articles and opinions have been written, strongly advising against marrying before age 30. Most probably, you have come across such information which made you wonder whether marrying before 30 was out rightly disastrous. You might also have questioned whether marriage bliss was guaranteed if you married after 30. It is therefore frustrating when you cannot get substantial information crediting marrying before 30 and yet, a host of credible supporting arguments exist. Well, here you are. You need look no further.

1. You are most fertile before 30

If you are a woman, there is a big difference between your ability to get pregnant in your twenties and thirties.  Your 20s are your most fertile years. If you desire to have more than one child, don’t wait until you are thirty to get married. According to fertility experts, your chances of getting pregnant in your early 30s are slightly lower than in your 20s, with your risk of a miscarriage or getting a baby with Down syndrome being slightly higher.   As women age, chances of pregnancy-complications slowly increase and so do miscarriages. A woman in her early, mid or late 20s is less likely to have an ectopic pregnancy as compared to one in her 30s.  

For men, the peak level of testosterone secretion remains fairly high as you approach 30. However, its level declines by 1-3 percent per year thereafter, which may lead to muscle wasting, reduced strength and sexual libido.  This may, in turn, arouse the temptation to use testosterone supplements which could be risky. 

2. The need to plan your life

 

Time goes by so fast which is why you ought to plan your life well. You need to marry before 30 so as to have your children earlier than later. You will not only have a higher chance of getting healthy children, but also ample time to engage in other things in life such as pursuing your education or settling in your career. You will be on track if you marry, say, between ages 24 and 28 and start having kids immediately. By the time you are in your mid 40s, they will already be out of high school or on their way out. In your mid fifties, they will most likely be out of your house and probably, you will be a grandparent. You do not want your child to graduate from high school when you are in your 60s. As you can see, it is very important to do your calculations in order to ensure your future and that of your kids is perfectly planned. 

3. Life is short

You only have one life to live and there is no guarantee of how long it will be. Pessimism aside, it could be less than 30 years or slightly higher. Thus, using age 30 as a benchmark for marriage and other achievements could be an illusion. It’s an arbitrary goal which may be a setup for failure. Those who vigorously advocate for marrying after attaining the age of thirty cite reasons such as the need to mature completely, accumulate lots of money or acquire some property, and explore what other men and women are like before committing to one individual, among others. Although these things are somehow important, they are not mandatory in marriage. If you have someone who genuinely loves you, totally supports, understands and respects you before you are 30, then most likely he or she is your right match. What reservations would you have for waiting until you are 30 to settle down with such a person? You might even lose him or her while waiting!

4. The need to cut costs

The necessity to reduce costs rises steadily as one grows older, although it may vary for different persons depending on their level of income.  By marrying before 30, you will get a chance to pool your limited assets and have encouragement during vulnerable times in your life. It is a fact that two people can live more cheaply as compared to one. For example, it takes more heating oil to warm two lonely bedrooms than it does to warm the bedroom of a pair of young lovers. Tying the knot before 30 therefore enhances your well being not just financially but also emotionally as you will have a shoulder to lean on, which makes life a little easier and cheaper.

5. Marrying early wads off many temptations

The probability of giving in to numerous life’s temptations is higher during your earlier stages of life as compared to later ones. Settling down is one way of wadding off such temptations.  If, for instance, you can’t control yourself in regard to premarital sex, it is wiser to marry as soon as possible than expose yourself to life threatening dangers. Even the Bible recommends one to marry rather than burn with passion (1 Corinthians 7:8-9). By marrying, you will be saving yourself a lot of trouble. You don’t have to wait until you are thirty to do that.

Insurance rates will also confirm to you that married people go on with their lives a little more carefully. They care more about the future and are therefore less likely to engage in reckless behavior such as careless driving, wanton sex and so on.

6. Your dating poll shrinks as you age

Time waits for no one. Right now, you are probably so preoccupied with your life that before you realize it, you will have hit 30 years and above. You will certainly start getting worried upon realizing that fewer people of the opposite sex seem to be interested in you than before.  This is because the older you get, the more your dating poll shrinks and the more desperate you are likely to become.

Don’t be so engrossed in having fun, dating and doing all sort of things save marrying before 30, oblivious that the older you get, the less fertile you become and the less likely you will marry. Furthermore, it is easier to adapt to new situations such as adjusting to a potentially excellent partner who does not quite fit into the life you’ve created for yourself, when you are young than when you are old. You don’t want to turn into a perpetual waiting bee!

  

Is There Any Hidden Danger Behind “Protected Sex”?

 

The debate on the subject of using or not using condoms for prophylactic prevention of sexually transmitted infections as well as for contraception has always sparked mixed, sharp reactions. Both proponents and opponents continue to candidly state their arguments for and against condom use respectively. As a corollary to this, a controversy exists over whether promoting condoms or abstinence is preferable to fight the global HIV/AIDs pandemic and unintended pregnancies.

      As early as the sixteenth century, condoms were used to protect against sexually transmitted infections, which could be evidence that non-marital sexual promiscuity was key in facilitating the innovation. However, it was not until the eighteenth century that condoms were used as contraceptives. In 1843, the condom technology underwent a key innovation upon the discovery of the vulcanization of rubber by Goodyear and Hancock. The use of vulcanized rubber, as opposed to animal tissue, lowered costs and improved condom quality. Thereafter, the condom rapidly gained credence and the latex condom, which descended from the vulcanized rubber condom took the world by storm in the nineteenth century. 
 

      According to pro-condom lobbyists, condoms are safe and effective because they block contact with body fluids that cause pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The condom, they argue, when used as a form of birth control is cheap, easy to access and dispose, and has minimal side effects. They also maintain that condoms are effective against viral infections such as HIV, human papilloma virus (HPV), herpes simplex virus, hepatitis B, and cytomegalovirus which are transmitted by urethral fluids, semen and genital sores. Besides that, they strongly believe that condoms can help safeguard fertility by preventing transmission of sexually transmitted infections that cause infertility such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. Although they admit that condoms are not absolutely effective, they always lay great stress on the correct and consistent use of condoms. 
 

      On the other hand, some condom-use opponents strongly advocate for abstinence until marriage, insisting that it is the only viable method of preventing disease and pregnancy. Others publicly attack the efficacy of condoms and argue that their widespread distribution aggravates rather than attenuates the problem of sexually transmitted infections. They maintain that condom use lulls people into a false sense of security thus promoting more acts of risky sex by making individuals less fearful of grievous consequences. Condom opponents, some of whom include religious leaders, often blame condom-use promotion under the rubric of safe sex, for giving the impression that pre-marital sex or irresponsible sex is acceptable thus resulting into societal moral decadence. 
 

      It is therefore not surprising that condom proponents and opponents have always been at loggerheads over its use, with the latter striving to stymie alleged public health efforts towards increased condom use in the world. For instance during the World War I, the American Social Hygiene Association forced the American Armed Expeditionary Forces to adopt a chastity campaign, making them the only troops in Europe that were not provided with condoms. This led to a 70 per cent sexually transmitted infections' rate. However, by 1919, the U.S Army was spending a million dollars annually on prevention of venereal diseases, including distributing condoms, the pragmatics having won over moral scruples. 
 

      But is there any hidden danger behind the so called safe sex? Spiritually speaking, yes. In fact, there is more spiritual harm than physical harm in sexual immorality. Let's delve into the Scriptures for a while to confirm whether the above statement is true or not. First, it is of utmost importance to understand that:

“........the body [is] not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”(1 Corinthians 6:13, KJV).

     Unless otherwise, choosing to have sex with someone is a personal decision. Unfortunately, most people are unaware that the effects of any sexually immoral act go beyond what they see, hear or even feel. Their feet normally hasten to commit sexual sin oblivious that the consequences transcend the physical realm. Anyone who joins himself or herself to another person, regardless of whether protection is used or not, becomes one body with that individual.

      “Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”(1 Corinthians 6:13, NIV).

Apostle Paul, who wrote the first and second epistle to Corinthians knew perfectly well the dangers of sexual error and that's why he warned them to flee fornication.

      “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.”(1 Corinthians 6:18, NIV).

     Since sexual sin directly affects one's own body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, anyone who defiles his or her body in the name of protected or unprotected sex chases the Holy Spirit and thus God's presence out of his or her life. The Holy Spirit stays away from that person as long as he or she continues to sin sexually. To better illustrate this, let's look at how the Devil orchestrated the fall of Samson in the Book of Judges chapter 16.
 

     When Samson, filled with God's Spirit, went to Gaza and slept with a harlot, little did he know he had committed the greatest mistake ever which would ultimately cost him his life. Before then, God was very much present in his life. However, His presence left him the moment he defiled himself by sleeping with the prostitute. It is worthwhile to realize that when he took the doors of the city's gate, and the two posts and went away with them, bar and all, putting them upon his shoulders, he was merely using the physical strength derived from his hair. Note that it didn't take long after Samson got intimate with a harlot, that he fell in love with Delilah (Delilah didn't fall in love with him), the woman who would ultimately cause his destruction. 
 

      By sinning sexually, Samson breached the security he previously enjoyed from God which gave Satan an opportunity to enter his life through Delilah. Unaware that Delilah was a Devil's agent, who would cajole him into revealing the source of his strength, Samson became completely besotted with her. No sooner had he told her everything than she had him sleep on her lap and called a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair.

“Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him. Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.”(Judges 16:20-21, NIV).

      There is no doubt that sexually immorality inflicts more spiritual harm as compared to physical harm, whether protection is used or not. This is a fact that condom-use proponents must understand, no matter how well-meaning their campaigns are. Anyone who feels “safe” while sleeping with just anyone just because there is a condom, is completely deluded! God will surely destroy that person!

      “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”(1 Corinthians 3:16-17, NIV).

Furthermore:

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body [Or learn to live with his own wife; or learn to acquire a wife] in a way that is holy and honourable.”(1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, NIV).

Friend, do not be deceived.

“Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”(1 Corinthian 6:9-10, NIV).

“Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone

who loves and practices falsehood.”(Revelation 22:15, NIV).

 

 

The Bold, Strong and Indomitable African Woman

          Being born and bred in Africa poses a myriad of serious challenges to the African woman as compared to her male counterpart. Some of the hurdles she encounters during her lifetime normally threaten her very own existence. Since her world is never cloistered right from when she is little, she quickly gets inured to the harsh conditions and realities of life. She is counted extremely lucky if she does not succumb to the primary killers of children in Africa, namely pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles, HIV/AIDS and malnutrition. The causal relationship between poverty and disease is one of the contributory factors to the inexorable rise in child mortality. 

          It is one of the reasons why the African child's susceptibility to disease remains more or less the same, despite the concerted effort made by both international and local organizations as well as health sector's stakeholders to curb the situation. Pneumonia, a deadly Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) kills more children than any other infectious disease. At the same time, the measles death toll in Africa is so high that in some parts, it is reported many mothers do not give their children real names until they have survived the disease. But as fate would have it, some of those who survive the killer diseases suffer blindness, deafness, brain damage or total paralysis.

          Once her vulnerability to childhood illnesses is over, the little girl is enrolled in school so she can get basic education, supposedly of good quality, and become an important person in society later on in her life. However, due to many reasons ranging from economic to cultural practices, keeping her consistently in school becomes a tall order. Some retrogressive cultural practices and rites of passage restrict her freedom to enjoy the right to education. This is common especially in Sub Saharan Africa, a region that lags behind the rest of the world in terms of education provision, with majority of out of school children being girls. This is unsurprising considering the ordeals girls face of pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, being married off at a tender age and domestic work, not to mention traumatizing experiences with predatory paedophile members of society. 

          A case example of the whole scenario can be derived from South Africa whereby the country's Health Minister revealed, two months ago, that at least 28 per cent of school girls were HIV positive compared with 4 per cent of boys. The Minister, Mr Aaron Motsoaledi, attributed the problem to sugar daddies who exploited the girls, adding that 94,000 school girls, some aged between 10 and 14, fell pregnant in 2011, and 77,000 had abortions at state facilities. But thanks to various interventions from different stakeholders, the life of the African girl child may no longer be at stake as it has been the case in the past.

      For instance, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) has committed to facilitate girls who face numerous obstacles in their development towards academic and social achievement, to better understand those obstacles and identify their solutions. One of the practices FAWE has adapted is the TUSEME (Let's speak out) project that roots for girls' empowerment. TUSEME aims at addressing problems such as school dropouts, poor academic achievement, school girls' pregnancy and sexual harassment among others. 

          But regardless of whether she is empowered academically, economically and socially or not, life goes on for the African girl child who, with or without her consciousness, gradually turns into a young woman. If she is not already a mother by this time, she, out of her own volition or otherwise, becomes one as she grows older. Even though the fruit of the womb is regarded as a bundle of joy, becoming a mother in Africa entails risking one's life as well as that of the child. Africa is highlighted as the most dangerous continent to be a mother of a newborn, because of the high maternal and infant mortality.

        According to the Save the Children's 2013 State of the World's Mothers report, the Democratic Republic of Congo is the riskiest country to be a new mother. In some cases when the mother is poorly fed and overworked, she gives birth to underweight babies who have not been adequately nourished in the womb. Due to the devastating conditions for mothers and children, the African mother has one in thirty chances of dying as a result. Sadly, the grim situation does not take into account whether she is a single mother, a refugee, in a stable marriage or has a steady income among other things.

         That notwithstanding, the African woman still remains the backbone of communities and the continent’s greatest potential to unlocking economic growth as she provides the majority of labour with the least amount of resources. The U.S Department of State, through the African Women's Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) strongly believes that reductions in the gender gap in education, health, political participation, and economic inclusion will result in the continent's economic competitiveness. The AWEP initiative, which was launched almost three years ago identifies and builds networks of women entrepreneurs across sub-Saharan Africa poised to transform their societies by owning, running, and operating small and medium businesses, and by becoming voices for social advocacy in their communities.

          Despite the rendition of vicissitudes that inform her formative years, the African woman has proved that intellectual propensity and physical prowess are really individual attributes and have nothing to do with one's sex. She has surmounted various levels of difficulties to become among other things a formidable author, scientist, politician, engineer, journalist and business woman. Presently, the African woman scientist as well as the small scale woman farmer holds the key to food security in the continent.

        Speaking recently at a ceremony where 70 African women were awarded fellowships to accelerate agricultural gains by strengthening their research and leadership skills, Vicki Wilde, the Founder and Director of the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), noted that majority of those who produce, process and market Africa's food are women, but only one in agricultural researchers is female. 

          A research conducted by AWARD found out that if women were highly represented in Agriculture, there could be plenty of food for families and surplus for sale, hence assurance of food in the continent. The 70 laureates were selected from among an impressive cadre of 1,094 applicants from 11 African countries and included among others Nigeria's Dr Bolanle Otegbayo who holds a PhD in Food Technology from the University of Ibadan, Kenya's Dr Lusike Wasilwa, an Assistant Director, Horticulture and Industrial Crops Division at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and Dr Segenet Kelenu, the current Vice President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

          It is therefore only appropriate to state that life has turned the African woman into an indomitable spirit.  She has undoubtedly lived the adage that what a man can do a woman can do too, and even do it better. Hard-lined chauvinists who seek to suppress women and pin them down to play second fiddle have been vanquished. It is hard, nowadays, to find an African woman who is not making it in one field or another. 

          Currently, we have African women presidents such as Malawi's Joyce Banda and Liberia's Ellen Johnson. We also have ministers, ambassadors, judges and holders of extremely powerful positions across the political, economic and social divide. Not long ago, the Forbes Magazine released a list of 20 youngest power women in Africa, all under 45, who wield enormous influence in African business, technology, policy and media. They were rated to be at the vanguard of Africa's imminent socio-economic revolution and its contemporary renaissance. 

          Some of them included Ory Okolloh, a Harvard-trained Kenyan lawyer and founder of Ushahidi, Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian writer, Yolanda Cuba, a South African corporate executive, Ndidi Nwuneli, a Nigerian social entrepreneur, Dambisa Moyo, a Zambian economist, Khanyi Ndhlomo, a South African media mogul and Elsie Kanza, Economic Advisor to Tanzania's president. Others were Juliet Ehimuan, the Nigeria's Google country manager, Isis Nyongo, a Kenyan and the Managing Director of  InMobi Africa, the world's largest independent mobile advertising network, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, an Ethiopian-born entrepreneur who earlier on had been named 'African Businesswoman of the Year' by African Business Magazine, and Liberia's Sarah Kaba Jones, the founder of FACE Africa, a non-for-profit organization that provides access to clean, safe and portable drinking water for rural communities in Liberia.

Of course the list was not exhaustive and this just shows how successful the African woman has been and can be, if ways of enhancing her well being, abilities, natural gifts and talents are given top priority.