Happy International Women's Day

Picture: Margaret Lance

Happy International Women's Day to all the wonderful women making every little bit of positive change and making the world a lot easier around themselves. 

Last Saturday I joined hundreds of women from across Scotland to celebrate IWD at the Scottish Parliament. Amongst many wonderful speakers of the day was a lady that stood out for me; my highlight when this local Ghanaian cocoa farmer spoke, this woman felt her children and other kids in her village deserve better. She felt if she sat still, things will not change... If she keeps quiet, the story will remain the same... If she does not find another path, she and many others will have no answers for their growing children, she had to do something. 

In her little might, she organised her fellow female cocoa farmers to join the Fairtrade Foundation, to alleviate their difficulties, to stop their children from walking long distances before they get to school, to make sure they had enough to eat and to take to school, to buy them school uniform, books and bags. She got the women together, they worked tirelessly on their cocoa farms, organised thrifts, shared seedlings, advice and supported each other in sales of some of the end products (chocolates).

As much as her broken English did not get in our way of understanding her message, the whole hall echoed with a resounding round of applause when she announced to us that today she can beat her chest that their children no longer walk miles from the village to get to school. 

They now have a newly built school courtesy of herself and her fellow female farmers...Her promise to herself came to pass. that every little child in the village will be better than her, that they will excel and have better chances she never got. I was moved to tears...many others were too..Proudly wearing her Women Cocoa Farmers Association uniform, she said it loud and clear that women should never let their past bring them down, they should be bold to take up challenges 'Be Bold For Change' and I truly agree with her..In droves, we hugged her in appreciation of the change she made and achievements. A true gem!! 

Happy International Women's Day if you are a woman reading this!