Schoolgirl dreams of scholarship into Oxford to change the image of African women

BY GRACE CHIRUMANZU
Marbereign Girls High Young Writers Club editor, young Rutendo Tavengerwei, was inspired by yesterday’s (March 8. 2010) International Women’s Day to change the low-grade image of women seen through the spectacles of the African patriarchal society.
Growing up as an ambitious young woman who has been empowered through education, Tavengerwei sees this day as a platform “to encourage women that they can do anything.”
“It is no longer a patriarchal society, we are gradually changing it,” she said. “Men used to have and some still have the notion that women are inferior and we are conquering that with education. A large section of women are educated these days and that is what draws the difference between women of today and those of yesterday. Education has empowered women and inspired them to stand up.”
“We have our Mai (Joyce) Mujuru and Mai Thokozani Khupe in such decision making political positions, in the States there is Hillary Clinton who even campaigned for the presidency, so it just shows how women can achieve so much,” added Tavengerwei.
The all girls school student dreams of getting a scholarship into the internationally renowned tertiary institution, Oxford University, where she aspires to be groomed as “the most prestigious lawyer in the world.”
“My parents have always told me that there is no limit, even the sky is not the limit. I intend to do something to inspire women and as a lawyer I think I will have the right platform. And in the road to follow my dreams the challenge I may foresee will be of men reluctant to give me the platform because I’m a woman and I intend to be assertive. I will not allow anyone to shake me down,” declared Tavengerwei.
Former Marbereign Schoolgirl, Hope Masike, an upcoming mbira songstress who performed at the International Women’s Day Schools music concert, held at the school last Friday, insisted that self-empowerment is a pre-requisite for all women with dreams.
“A lot of talk has been going on about women but I want you to know that the first thing you need to do as a woman is to empower yourself,” she announced. “Being educated does not mean you are not cultured. You can be a very well respected daughter in law who knows how to ululate and clap the African way and at the same time be well equipped technologically. You need to be balanced as a woman.”
“I believe women need no special platforms in education or any stage because they have the ability to do great things when they stand for themselves. We can’t expect men to be helping us when we don’t even show the confidence. So it is self-empowerment that we need to preach to individuals for women empowerment to be a success,” added Masike.

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