International Womens Day is March 8th and the theme #EachforEqual.
How are you going to celebrate the women who have inspired you in your life?
International Women's Day grew its roots in 1908 when 15,000 women protested for better pay, shorter work hours and voting rights.
An equal world is an enabled world.
200 years later women are still campaigning or equality.
I love this statement, its so. true, yet still not realised. Women are still impoverished around the world and I was reminded of this when I visited the former Taliban occupied area of Tribal. Pakistan,
It was a pretty scary place, bullet holes still remained in the walls of the brick homes as a constant reminder of the lives lost and the pain caused.
But I dont tell this story because of the Taliban, they deserve little airtime. I tell it because of a girl I met there. She was 16 and absolutely stunning. The most beautiful blue eyes, with skin so fair you would have thought she was European.
She was also a brain box.
Of Afghan descent her life was taught, but after escaping to the tribal lands of Pakistan as a refugee life was safer than in her homeland of Kabul. She was one of the lucky ones. But luck is relative isn't it. Her luck was to survive and our luck is to thrive.
This girl's dream was to be a doctor. She excelled at all her classes, but as a female moving to another city to further her education was out of the question, both in terms of finances and security. The whole family would have to sacrifice. For a time her Father had been working a few jobs to send her to school, but sending her to college was going to mean a bigger financial sacrifice for the family.
My Dad and I spoke to her Dad as he explained how much he wanted for his daughter to be educated. He was so proud of his daughter's ambition to help the others, but his hands were tied.
We tried to come up with a plan to make it work, but in a country where the basic needs of survival are not even met, getting an education, a premium luxury that can be rarely realised.
I haven't been in touch with my beautiful friend since my December trip to Pakistan. We hugged when we parted and did lots of crying, I did a bit of shouting in anger how I wish I could help her. I gave her money but it wasn't enough for her to pursue her dream.
I tell you this story because I hope that you can realise that on the days life is shit and not going your way, there is someone on the other side of the world, in my Mother's words, "would love to change places with you"
Remind yourself of how lucky you are to have freedom. The freedom to study what you want, see friends, know what its like to have a warm shower or fear that one day your life may be in danger from terrorists.
We are all guilty of getting complacent and forgetting how lucky we are, its human nature. But when you do feel a bit shitty (as we all do) write down 3 things your are lucky for and you will be amazed by how it brightens your day.
Today I am lucky to.............................be alive (your turn)
yours in love and wellness
