Happy International Women’s Day!
As mothers, as daughters, as partners, as sisters, as friends and in the millions of other professional and personal roles that women play, the two characteristics that take your breath away are the compassion and caring that they can give. Women, all over the world of all color and race have made a difference in almost every area of life and on this International Women’s Day here’s a tribute to celebrate them.
Everywhere women have touched and changed lives in many different ways. Some of them fought for our rights, some of them made life more worthwhile for us, some taught us strength and determination, most taught us how to love and give back. Above all, women have strived for personal safety, equality and enriched lives for others. The fact that almost all of them have been great moms is something none of us have to be told about.
Just to tell you about some of these courageous, determined women, here’s a short list of a few that I have known of:
There are women like Fadia Najib Thabet who won the U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award for her work protecting children from Al Qaeda and Houthi militias in Yemen.
And Hafsat Mohammed an alumna of the International Visitor Leadership Program, who works to counter violent extremism by engaging young people in Nigeria.
Through the ages, there have been women like Sappho one of the first known female writers who Plato referred to as one of the great 10 poets of her time and Cleopatra the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt who sought to defend Egypt from the expanding Roman Empire.
Other women who inspire us even today are Joan of Arc, the patron saint of France, who at the age of just 17,inspired a French revolt against the occupation of the English and successfully led the French to victory at Orleans.
Another was Sojourner Truth a feisty African-American abolitionist and women’s rights campaigner who lived at the same time that Florence Nightingale was serving in the Crimean war. Florence’s passion and dedication to the profession changed public perception about nursing.
Marie Curie the Polish/French scientist was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize and the first person to win the Nobel Prize for two separate categories – one for research into radioactivity and the second for Chemistry.
Helen Keller the deaf and blind American Social Activist who campaigned tirelessly on behalf of deaf and blind people is one of those who taught us determination.
So, have women like Mother Teresa an Albanian nun and charity worker who devoted her life to the service of the poor and dispossessed.
Women like Rosa Parks (American civil rights activist) and Ann Frank whose diary served as an eye witness to the German concentration camps have taught us exemplary courage and dignity in the face of violence and even death.
More recently Burmese opposition politician Suu Kyi won a Nobel prize for a struggle that is considered one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades.
Billie Jean King, the US tennis legend and the winner of 20 Wimbledon titles, who beat Bobby Riggs in 1973 and Oprah Winfrey, a Philanthropist, and a famous US talk show host who was born to a poor single mother in Mississippi have made us swell with pride.
Benazir Bhutto and Corazon Aquino the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan, the first woman to head a Muslim state and the 11th President of Philippines respectively, the British scientist Marie Stopes best known for her achievements in the fields of birth control and sex education in the 20th century and Amelia Earhart the first woman to ever fly solo across the Atlantic are women who have taught us determination and inspired us to never give up.
The world has seen extraordinary women like Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, an Indian entrepreneur, the chairman and managing director of a biotechnology company in India who was awarded the Othmer Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry. She is on the Financial Times’ “top 50 women in business” list after being told that she could not be hired in a male-dominated field. And Malala Yousafzai the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate who is known for human rights advocacy for education and for women in northwest Pakistan.
So is the first female chancellor presiding over the most powerful European economy, Angela Merkel.
There are women who have made it big by sheer hard work and talent like J K Rowling, the writer of the Harry Potter series and pop star Beyoncé who has embodied fierce femininity while contributing to a wide range of philanthropies and promoting a better world.
Amongst those who have made us proud are Mia Hamm, Soccer Champion who scored more international goals than any other soccer player, and led a generation of adolescent girls to become passionate about sports and royalty like Diana, Princess of Wales whose campaigns for acceptance of AIDS victims and against land mines are unforgotten even today.
The core attribute of a woman is the need to give back what she takes and to do her bit for those around her. To follow that urge of mine, I set up the Makomas Foundation to help the women farmers who harvest my ingredients and to give them the support they need to become economically secure. The Foundation ploughs back some of our profits into equipment and training for the women in Burkina Faso to help them earn a stable income through sustainable farming. It also runs several social programs like savings clubs and day care centers to assist the women in their daily lives. My satisfaction comes from seeing the smiling faces of these women farmers and their families every time I visit them.
The contribution of women to this world both socially and professionally is not something we can record in a book. Most human beings are witness to the value women bestow to each of us in the many roles they play and by their involvement in our lives. We have seen historically, that when women stand together they have conquered the invincible and beaten the unsurpassable. But when divided and alone they have been subjected to unspeakable atrocities. On International Women’s Day it is essential that we pledge to stand together and in good stead of each other to make this world a better, safer, happier place. Let us teach our daughters to live with their heads held high and with courage to change lives – their own and that of others. It can only happen, when a woman will stand for another in the face of injustice.
To us women, may we build strong communities of mutual respect and trust.
Cheers,
Magbè
Great post and I really enjoyed reading this. This article is not only showing how all these women showcase their talents and how great are they individually. It also shows us how big their hearts are for everyone of us. Happy International Women’s Day to everyone!
Thank you for the kind words, Gervin
Happy International Womens Day. I love how we celebrate this special for strong women. A day that we should pay tribute and gender equality should be raised.
YAS!
Every women are great and must be appreciated on a regular basis. I do not understand having a particular day to appreciate them. Rather they must be appreciated on a regular basis.
Women are to be celebrated every day; however, for every IWD, it is a reflection of gender goals.
I love this post! Powerful women empower women!
I know right.
I love that you included not only historical women of influence but also those that should be recognized today. Awesome post!
I’m glad you liked the post
I agree: women are powerful and strong. we can do anything. Equality is not a choice it is a basis
I love that line – equality is not a choice but a basis.
What an inspirational post! This is quite the list of women to look up to. I can’t wait to check out the foundation, sounds like a great cause!
You should. I promise you won’t regret it.
This one of the best women’s day post I have read till now and it is really an empowering post.
Thank you for stopping by Monidipia
Women are so amazing and have made such amazing leaps and bounds in the last few years! I love celebrating women!
Same here, Danielle
Wow, It is an amazing article. You looks so beautiful dear.
Kisses for you.
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Thanks
women have done so many great things in this world. I love how you highlighted some of these things.
Hopefully, many people come to the realization and acceptance of women’s significant roles.
This is awesome! Happy International Women’s Day. Love your style of writing, very enjoyable.
Thank you. Hoping we are getting closer to #balanceforbetter
Great post to highlight some amazing accomplishments by some great women!
It was a pleasure writing about women to inspire other women out there
Beautiful post. I love how you incorporated all types of influential women.
Hopefully we raise girls that become them.
In our history, there are so many women that truly gives their place on our life which we can inspire and to look up to. This is such a worth reading article and truly a one of the best that I’ve read.
Hopefully, we continue to bring those women to limelight so that our girls can have who to look up to.
This was such a wonderful post. Women are so inspirational and we have accomplished some amazing things!!!! Thanks for sharing I loved this!
Thank you, Natalie, for reading.
What an interesting article, all women must get a read of this, inspiring and motivating, Happy International Women’s Day.
Appreciation to all women in the world, they contributed a lot and they deserve to be appreciated, they are all an inspiration
I truly agree with you. More women need to be celebrated.
Happy internatinal women’s day to all the women out there, they deserve to be appreciated and they are all an inspiration
Happy that we are celebrating ourselves.
So good to look back at the women who’ve helped build our history. Thanks for this.
That’s what I do on this blog – appreciate and inspire women.
You did such a good job with this article. Loved every bit of it.
Thank you, Sophia
Yes, I know these women. They’re really doing a great job! Such a lovely turn on international women’s day!
Good to read you know these women – hoping we raise our girls like them!
Amazing post sharing Women power. Happy Women’s Day
Such a wonderful post highlighting some very inspirational women!
Thanks for stopping by, Christine
Thanks so much for sharing this. It’s amazing to see what women have accomplished and i’m all for celebrating us all!
I know right, Annabel. Women are doing well.
Thanks for sharing such important facts and information on this special day. Women’s contribute more and receive less. Always respect them and your post is so motivational.
Hopefully, in the nearest future, more women will be more celebrated for their efforts.
It’s amazing what all the wonderful things these women have done. What a great was to pay tribute to women’s day. I enjoyed reading this!
Thanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed it.
This is a really good post. Every woman is great and must be appreciated on a regular basis. You look so lovely in the photo.
I agree with you and thank you for the nice comment.
I am a firm believer in women empowerment. We are so strong that we can achieve anything. I am glad that I know about most of the inspirational women you have mentioned. JK Rowling is my inspiration as a would be writer.
I loved all the posts
Thankyou for making us smile by ur posts
I enjoyed a lot reading them
Happy women’s day to everyone