Hello,
This is a Special BLOG to hear the voices of mothers around the world, Women of Kenya!
They all take part of one same community in Masogo, near Kisumu in Kenya and all volunteer at Golden Girls Foundation. I had the great opportunity and luck to visit them last year with my 13th years old daughter and 6 additional moms and teenagers! I wrote about it in an earlier post you can read HERE. This was an amazing trip thanks to all those women and moms (the ones who traveled with me and the ones who welcomed us there) but also thanks to many companies who gave their time and donated products.
In this Special Blog, I wish to learn from those local moms, the women of Kenya!
The Special will include 5 posts, each post concentrate on 1 question and the answers of 12 wonderful women of Kenya, specifically from Kisumu!
Let me first introduce those 12 amazing moms:mothers
1st question: "Are you proud to be a woman? Why?"
and Here are their answers:
- Elizabeth Akinyi said “Yes I am. I am a mother and I am responsible for my home.”
- Golda Sawala Ayodo said “Yes, I am able to bear babies. I have my home and kids that I mould and care for.”
- Goretty Atieno Wasira replied “Yes Because I am able to give birth to kids.”
- Helida Odeny answered “Yes, because I have born kids and I have my own home.”
- Jackline Awino Adongo said ” Yes, because I already am a woman, so I have no choice.”
- Magdalene Akinyi Odhiambo replied “Yes, because have a family, I have my home, and I can make stuff at my home how I wish. My home can be referred to as Magdalene’s home.”
Mary Akinyi Odero said “Yes, because I have lived for years as a woman. I have no choice as I am already a woman.”
- Mary Anyango replied “Yes, because I gave birth to my kids.”
- Milka Atieno Modi said “Yes, because I have kids and I am happy to have them.”
- Miriam Nyandigo Sire said “Yes, because I have kids to take care of, I take care of my home, and I work hard for my kids to take them to school.”
- Sophy Akoth Otieno answered “Yes, because I have my kids and I am happy to live with them.”
- Susan Awuor Juma said finally “Yes, because I have my home, do whatever I want, I have cattle.”
The Beauty of a Woman
~ Author Unknown ~
The beauty of a woman
Is not in the clothes she wears
The figure she carries
Or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman
Must be seen from her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman,
Is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman
Is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows,
The beauty of a woman
With passing years – only grows.
Many times we link being a woman and the right to give birth.
This is really the only physical thing women can do that men cannot!
I found an interesting Declaration of the Rights of Childbearing Women.
This is the way I felt BEFORE giving birth and after the births of my 2 daughters, that giving birth makes me really a “whole” woman (meaning until I gave birth, I was not complete).
Something changed my perspective…becoming a foster mom. I understood that you can be a great woman, be proud of it without any relation to giving birth. Either bringing a foster child or adopting a child. There are also women who do not want to give birth for whatever reason and many others who want but cannot unfortunately. I know the feeling of not being able to give birth and I was lucky enough to have access to IVF and Fertility Treatment but many women around the world do not have access to it.
I guess what I am trying to say is being proud to be a woman is a huge thing by itself, maybe because we have some skills and capabilities that women have…and the right to give birth is another separate amazing matter, but they do not have to be connected!
I am personally proud to be a woman and happy I was born as a woman as I truly believe we have, generally speaking of course, some other kind of compassion, a certain capability to suffer while providing care & love.. the poem above just says it much better than me.
As far as the right to give birth, I truly believe there is nothing more miraculous than this. The fact we can grow a life within ourselves is just something so strong and extraordinary. Of course, let’s not forget our men! The baby is obviously a result of both of us but carrying this life for 9 months is just for me a miracle.
Having said that, I have to admit that raising a child that I did not give birth to, challenged me, my love, my ability to care like never before. And when you are challenged, the best version of yourself can come out! I look today at my 6 years old foster boy and I dissolve and soften!
He taught me the real meaning of “mom”.
He taught me to accept your mom as she is with whatever she can give to you.
He taught me that even when life starts quite bad, there are ways to make it good.
He taught me that love has nothing to do with genes.
He taught me that each of us comes to this world with a package, better, tougher, with this or that issue. This is his package and he will carry it for the rest of his life, as we all do. The importance is to accept that package, learn to live with it and be happy with it!
I want to sincerely thank those 12 moms in Kisumu who shared with me their personal life and thoughts, trusted me and opened up! Thank you Golda and Ben at Golden Girl Foundation.
Next Chapter of this SPECIAL BLOG will talk about the skills those moms wish for their kids. Interesting cultural sharing… GUARANTEED…..
Great article on what makes us special as women. Interestingly, I have always thought about it in terms of tangibility… bearing children, and not be able to describe the inner features that makes me feel special as women.