Celebrating women history month

By Angeline Zimbwani Mikiri 

As I highlight the role played by women every day, I am always reminded of my dear mother l, the late Patricia Deenah Rwodzi Zimbwani. (may her dear soul rest in peace) I have highlighted how she played a critical part in raising me and her contribution to the community. I remember how she would wake up in the morning to work in the fields like any other woman. In spite of all the hard work she did in the community, she never realised how worthy and powerful she was. Both my parents built our home, and I remember that during that time, most of  the household requirements in a rural setup were available.  My father worked in Harare and mum remained in the village. With the proceeds from the farming activities mother bought a scotch cart, a plough a cultivator, we had more than 30 head of cattle and several goats, but none of these were in my mother's name. I remember when I got good grades, my mother highlighted that she would ask my father to give me one beast because she didn't own any cow. When dad came home, he definitely authorised one cow to be handed over to me. Not to say it was not a good setup, but the issue was of my mother not owning all those. According to  culture, they belonged to my dad and my elder brother, who was the only son of parents.  My parents had 5 girls and one boy. 

I remember my mother going to  Chinhoyi to buy a green scotch cart and instructed her nephew,sekuru Enock, to write something on the scotch cart. It read" Mr Kembo James Zimbwani and His Son." Such was the narrative.  It meant that my father and my brother owned the household properties. Everything was in my father's and my brothers names. But one would ask, "Was that an error?.Why didn't my mother include her name in all this. How many women who have the same setup like that of my father.  I don't think my father had a problem in including his wife's name in the properties, but my mother chose that way because this was how she was made to believe or how she was raised.  She was a woman who believed that men should own the means of production. 

Was my mother a lesser human being? No, she wasn't, but rather, that is how things are in some situations up to now. How many women who work hard to build beautiful homes, and yet they don't own those homes. Their names are not  included even in the purchase of those properties. The problems which are faced by women in the present is the reason of how it was in the past.  We thank God that now there are protective laws in our nation. When we are talking about women empowerment, we are talking of liberation of the mind. The shifting of the mind of both the female and  the male child.  The law of the land can now allow women to own the means of production to own land ,buildings, and livestock.  The majority of girl children these days have become educated, but we still have the problem up to the present moment.  Both parents should play a critical role in educating both male and female children that they are all important in spite of gender. Parents must teach their sons to respect their sisters.  Fathers should play a major role in the shaping of each family member. Girls should be taught that they are not weaker vessels but rather that they are citizens that should contribute immensely in shaping society. 

Girls must not be cry babies.  They must be taught to be citizens who can think on behalf of families and contribute to the well-being of families. 

This is to avoid future challenges when the husband dies, she becomes a victim of circumstances. The lifestyle must not change due to the loss of a father figure. Sometimes, it's not death that changes circumstances but sickness or permanent damages from various accidents. 

Women empowerment should not be looked at as a situation to challenge men but rather a situation to discover the potential in women as well as their capabilities in society.  They should be given an opportunity to be critical thinkers and not to rely on men on many things.Young girls should be taught about self care and not to think men are the solutions to their economic challenges.