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Wonder Women

One aspect of African life that never ceases to amaze me is the strength of the woman. It is not rare to drive by a woman trekking up one of Rwanda's thousand hills with a baby strapped to her back, a potatoe filled basket on her head, while also weaving grass into rope. I recently saw a woman nursing her baby and harvesting carrots at the same time. In many African cultures woman are given the weight of the work. Often, the woman are expected to give birth, feed the children, prepare meals, clean the compound and work the fields. Yes, basically they are expected to fill the majority of the day to day essential needs.

As countries develop, and woman find more independence, positions in the household are changing. In fact, in Rwanda there are many women who hold high government positions. The mayor of Kigali is a woman and the general of state protocol is a woman. Today I visited with a Rwandese lady who lost her husband a few years ago. She owns her own Inn and rents rooms out of her house. I recently spoke with a friend who gives college scholarships to orphans. The orphans must go through a rigorous application process in which they are interviewed. One praise she had for the girls who were selected for scholarship was that they had a new sense of confidence and empowerment that is lacking in older generations. Rwanda has begun speaking to Secondary students about issues such as equality and strength. Great news!

The strength of ladies in rural and urban settings is very commendable. Unfortunately, in rural settings, equality and gender roles continue to be weighed heavily on customs. While many may argue as to whether the expectations of woman is abusive or cultural, no one can look at a Rwandese woman without speaking a word of amazement at their ability to multi-task with strength, coordination and elegance.