Cog of the Universe........A Woman

Having to walk 2.5 km to and from work, Monday to Friday in Namibia as a volunteer has taught me a lot about resilience. My placement profile read that I will have a car to use for my official work which to me would also be a plus to avoid walking under the hot sun during summer and the never ending dust of this beautiful town. Upon arrival, there was no car in sight and the possibility of the institution buying a new one was only a pipe dream. Necessity being the mother of invention…. I learned a new trick called “Piggy backing” on other organizations cars, other volunteers who come to visit /work in my town for a few days or locals if they are heading the same direction as I. that has worked well for me and I cannot complain. At the same time walking is not that bad at all…..it is a blessing in disguise, I get to meet people one on one, relate my life to others, watch school children going to school as young as five years old walking on their own for a better tomorrow the promise of an education and knowledge. Watch women who are mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, students, aunts, grandmothers, care givers the list is endless doing different kinds of activities from dawn to dusk. All these activities for their families.

“So amazing how this world was made I wonder if GOD is a woman” This is borrowed from Shaggy’s Lyrics about the Strength of a woman. I was listening to this song over and over yesterday at my house, the volume of my stereo was high not because I wanted to offend anyone ……….it was a shout out to all those women out there in my neighborhood to know that a world re-known musician humbly appreciates the existence of women.

Women are the cog of every world power economy in the universe whether big or small. That woman wakes up every morning to prepare breakfast for the family, clean the house, and wash the dishes and clothes. Later on she leaves the comfort of her home to go and look for a day’s wage either at an able bodied person’s farm or house. This is because of the integrity she has for herself and family. Capable women out there in the world encourage their sons and daughters to work hard in school for a better tomorrow, she denies herself new shoes, clothes or perfume so that the future of any nation can be bright. Wisdom she carries with her in stride and is always a listening ear to those that are her own or orphaned and abandoned due to unknown or known reasons. Wives out there do all that is possible in their ability for their husbands to be known as respected members of society. At the end of this entire how are they paid back?

Women and girls are raped, tortured, assaulted and killed by these very men and people that they gave life to. When a daughter in a household gets pregnant before she finishes school …who bears the blame? The woman is given names by their spouses, partners and acquaintances for a mistake done by her daughter. Now this wonderful person becomes the laughing stock of the village also known as a manner less mother to a manner less, loose daughter who cannot inculcate morals to her children. Mistakes happen and once children leave the woman’s womb they become their own entity just like a business. These children have different personalities and attributes….why should we blame mothers for sins of their children? Why should women be raped by their own sons, husbands, boyfriends or partners and other unknown people? What if this culprit was aborted when conceived….would it be justifiable? Of course not every living thing has a right to life.

This blog goes out to the world seeking justice, truth, reconciliation and respect for all women in our lives may it be our relatives or not. Governments should come up with policies that protect this woman who is a valuable source of life and strong foundation to every nation in the world and any sphere in life, may it be political, economical, social, technological etc. Remember, the fancy wrist watches that we wear on our hands have a cog in them for them to function well same as a woman who is a cog of the entire universe. Let us join hands and oil(Policies that promote gender equality and Equity, Opportunities to join the work force, chances to be presidents in different countries, Education for the girl child, proper health facilities, access to basic social amenities…..the list is endless) this cog(Woman) to function well.
To the world that local woman in a small country, town or village selling vegetables by the roadside, tilling other people’s lands and making hand made crafts does not matter……to me she is my whole world. The food I eat, the clothes I wear, the beauty I have, the education I boast of is thanks to that woman. All the women in the world matter to me big or small, educated or uneducated, tall or short, disabled or abled, rich or poor. Long live the woman.