Women in Africa, Do They Need Your Help?
Somali Women at a Youth Political Forum
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
For many people who grew up with Western ideologies, thinking about the continent of Africa often brings a rather negative perspective. From a young age, many Americans are often not taught the positive contribution and work women in Africa bring towards their community. Additionally, years and years of racist propaganda used all throughout Western media has only continued to skew how many view the continent and its women. I’m sure those reading this article often do not think of African women as leaders. Believe me, I, a black woman, also did not often give the credit to the women in Africa for who they actually are. This year, I decided to take a Women and Leadership in Africa class. Prior to this class, I could not provide much information about African Women, much less African Women in Leadership. Yet, approaching the end of the semester, my frames and schemas are beginning to be deconstructed day by day. My Western perspective has been challenged, and I implore everyone to not only accept, but invite any challenges to their perspectives.
For the past decade, the U.S. Agency for International Development has allocated assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa to assist with health programs to fight HIV/AIDS. However, additionally with the support sent, education programs are also sent to Africa. These programs often include the US 's standard of basic, secondary, and higher education., a system that has provided education to millions of Americans. Roughly $275 million is sent to support the US funded education system used in various African countries. Kenya is one of the nations that receives aid ($14.9 million) and yet the women in Africa already prove in their day to day life, the need for “traditional” education may not be needed.
For example, take the Murang’a County Women. The Murang’a County Women SACCO pooled their funds together to help create an apartment complex for students in a nearby community. These small groups of women pooling together their money is not uncommon. CARE Niger launched a loan program called Mata Masu Dubara, which translates to “women on the move”. Through this program, women managed households are given the opportunity to gain more economic security. The CARE program allows women to create a group within their community where they pool money among themselves to help pay for their family needs – this practice, in itself, did not require a sophisticated education, let alone a basic economics class typically taught in high school. This isn’t a new tradition – this technique has been used for generations. It’s something that is taught within communities, rather than traditional school. The women in the Murang’a County in Kenya took on economic leadership within their community and created something the local government was unable to do. The century-old practice has only continued to prove African women’s leadership and intelligence. And it doesn’t stop at the economic realm.
Wangarĩ Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political advocate, who founded the Green Belt Movement. The program was an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation, and most importantly, women's rights. Most notably, she was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Wangarĩ Maathai had a more formal education, receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi, however, her work expanded beyond her education. She helped empower women across Africa to use their knowledge to protect the environment. One of Maathai’s leadership skills was her relatability with the people in her community. She was able to relate with a lot of fellow women in her community in order to help spread her message.In the documentary, “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangarĩ Maathai ”, many women are interviewed about the changing climate around them. While they did not have the same formal education as Maathai, they understood what was happening around them. They understood that the lack of trees led to less clean air. They understood that they could keep themselves healthy by eating the crops they grew. And they understood how to use the land to its fullest while still remaining environmentally conscious. Through Maathai’s exceptional leadership skills, she assisted women all over the continent of Africa to be able to take up leadership positions within their communities in order to help better the environment. Because so many women felt seen and heard by Maathai, the Greenbelt Movement, in turn, was very successful on the continent. Maathai and her initiatives are also a very good example as to why representation in leadership positions matter.
A good leader should be able to relate to those they are leading. Maathai was able to easily do so, hence why the Greenbelt Movement was so impactful. But in order to be relatable, leaders need to represent the people they are leading. Post-intervention had brought on a variety of challenges for women in Africa, notably the dismantling of women’s leadership in governmental positions. It’s simple—women know what women need. Those who have faced the same struggles understand how to move past the difficult times and what resources they need. While yes, aid is needed for many nations in Africa, it takes one to know one. African women should be included in the room, at the table, helping decide what their fellow African women need in order to succeed. Wangarĩ Maathai knew that the women she was helping didn’t need an educational program in order to help save the environment. She knew what they understood and could relate to them on a personal level and she was so successful because she knew how to cater to their needs. The Murang’a County women knew what each other had to bring to the table and helped each other, both in their circle and beyond, in order to be successful. Representation matters and it should be a priority to include those who need aid at the table. Because “you cannot enslave a mind that knows itself, that values itself, and understands itself.” –Wangarĩ Maathai.