THE LIONESS WITHIN

109 years old,

my great-grandmother is a pillar of strength in our village.

She walks slightly bent forward, leaning on her wooden walking stick, yet her presence is as commanding as ever. Last week,she fell ill and was rushed to the hospital, burdened with the many illnesses that come with age. Despite her fragile health, she never ceased to amaze me with her wisdom and resilience. Her strength wasn’t just in her body, but in her spirit and mind.

I down my tools at work to care for her at home. One afternoon, as I sat by her side, she looked at me and said something in our vernacular that struck deep: "Even though the lion is the king of the jungle, it is always the lioness that goes out to hunt."

No no its not about Submission. She was talking about strength.

Although men may be seen as physically stronger, this does not diminish the power of women. "Wake up, girl!"

The potential you hold is far greater than you imagine. I immediately launched a Zoom meeting with my organization, Angaza Global. We discussed how to bring young girls together once again, teaching them to to be the lionesses our society needs.

I now call on every girl and woman to embrace the bravery and adventure of the lioness, to step forward and gather the “good” with the strength they’ve always held. The future belongs to those who dare to be courageous, to lead, and to never underestimate their own power.