The sacrifice and wisdom of our Mothers.

As we mark International Women’s Day, I want to share my mother’s story with you. Mhai, as we called her, was an audacious woman who made countless sacrifices to ensure a better future for her children.

Her story is about fighting the system, swimming against the current and harnessing bulldog faith that things will turn out better.

My mother grew up in a divided society where she faced double discrimination – politically and traditionally. She was a black woman in white Rhodesia, who never gave birth to a son.

Mhai was part of the generation who made significant sacrifices for their family. Some were fighting for our independence, while others moved abroad, often alone, with the hope of securing a better future for their children.

One of my earliest childhood memories was when I was five. My sisters and I were woken to get in the car. We didn't know where we were going or why. We ended up at the airport to say goodbye to my mother, who was moving to London to become a nurse.

I can’t begin to imagine how hard this decision was for her. Leaving her children and husband behind in an attempt to provide a better life for us. With the fight for independence ongoing, Zimbabwe was facing significant upheaval. She had no idea if her decision was going to be the right one, there was a huge amount of uncertainty – would anything happen to us while she was away? On top of this, others, including family, questioned how as a mother could leave her children to fly halfway across the world.

She had always wanted to be a nurse. Back then, the system offered her two choices after high school – teaching or nursing. Those days in fact, women were only allowed to do two years of high school. How can women get ahead when others dictate what they can do?

As a result of her living abroad, we didn’t get an opportunity to spend much time with her. Yet despite the distance between us, she introduced me to her faith through books and letters at an early age, cultivating my spiritual growth and development. Through her letters she introduced me to Jesus and His teachings. It is these same teachings and values that guide and inform my work and actions today.

From day one she sent money and clothes back home. When the letters arrived, I would quickly scan them to see what gifts she had sent before returning later to read them in depth.

Education was the pathway to success, Mhai and Baba did everything they could to put us on that path. Because of them we went to schools out of reach for most. Few black Zimbabweans could afford to go to good schools then. As an added barrier, a quota limited how many non-white students could be enrolled. We were the minority.

Without Mhai around, my elder sisters were very protective of me, and they took on the role of a mother. Holidays were frequently spent doing schoolwork, and we had to learn to take responsibility and look after each other. It is a relationship that has prevailed as we have become older. Even though we live in different parts of the world, events and travel unite us and we are constantly in touch. We look after each other and each other's children.

I also recognise the sacrifices she made in her marriage. My parents lived apart for 14 years. Baba didn’t have much money, everything Mhai sent home was for us.

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Two weeks before she passed away, my mother called me, for what would be her final sermon. She advised me to marry Strive and never to leave my children. She said: "If you need to leave, take them with you". This advice still resonates with all my siblings; we take our children wherever we go.

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I am so sorry she died before I could appreciate her and thank her. However, my mother fundamentally shaped my life. The teachings and guidance she left behind inspire me to act as a role model for my daughters, so I lend my voice and time to championing gender equality and equity.

I shared my mother's story today as a tribute and acknowledgment that I am who I am because of the sacrifices she made. By sharing her story, I hope it encourages others to dream big, have the courage to swim against the current and harness a deep faith and belief that we can deliver gender equality across the world.

#womeninprogress #womenequality #dreambig #aspire #havefaith