Shelf
Her Story
Lived experience, told in the first person.
A Woman's Continual Journey to Wholeness After Recurrent Losses
Motherhood is a dream for many; the thought of holding a baby in one’s arms brings joy. The pain of losing a baby is, however, unfathomable. The loss, unforgettable. The following story is about how life changed for Precious Taah – from being congratulated and receiving pregnancy advice to being consoled after losing her first child through miscarriage. That was the beginning o
TWSC Submission: When My Childhood Ended
Merida Ohame was forced to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM), and then, soon after, forced to marry a total stranger. Today, at 62, she has vowed it fight for the rights of women and the girl child. She believes that FGM has damaging effects on girls and lowers a women self-esteem, and has worked to help eradicate this practice for over 30 years. This is her story.
Beatrice Malika: Why I Left a Well-Paying Job to Take Care of Slum and Street Children
Beatrice Malika runs a school called the Glory Christian Education Centre and also founded Glory Christian Rescue Home for sexually abused children. A mother of two children aged 17 and 12, Beatrice realized her love for children as a child herself. She often gave things to other children at random. This is her story in her own words.
Meet Njeri wa Migwi: A Gender-Based Violence Survivor and Activist
Njeri wa Migwi is a wife, mother of five and the founder/CEO of Usikimye Organization. She was still a minor when she got married and that led to over a decade of domestic abuse. Materially, she wanted for nothing, but emotionally, she was broken. Today, her pain has fueled her activism, and she is determined to never let another woman go through what she experienced on her wat
Getting to Know Clare Ongati: Entrepreneur, Passionate Youth Leader and Co-Founder of Young Women Connect
Clare Ongati is a 28-year-old mother who wears multiple hats. She is an entrepreneur, a Youth Leadership alumni and co-founder of Young Women Leaders Connect. Many things about Clare stand out, but her drive and passion are undeniable. Despite a horrific encounter that changed the trajectory of her life, Clare continues to inspire others to heal from their pain and became who t
In Her Shoes: Braving Through Bipolar Disorder
I have bipolar II and these are all examples of a type of psychosis I have experienced. Delusions and hallucinations are forms of psychosis that people with bipolar disorder may suffer from during full-blown manic episodes.
Friday Reflection: Weathering my Rain
I loved the rain as a kid. Everything about it. There was something so liberating about letting raindrops fall on my skin, and the scent of rain that lingered in the air afterwards was refreshing. Not to mention the puddles of water to jump over and playing with the bugs that surfaced. Yeah, I was that kid.
TWSC Submission: I was Lured into a Marriage Under False Pretense
My relationship with my ex-husband was my second relationship. I dated him for four years with no red flag until I got pregnant. He had a wife in the rural areas and his family was very secretive about it. When I eloped to his house, we had to have a family meeting with family members. The meeting took three hours to start, but everyone was around. People were very hesitant to
Kiseki Owner Mio Yamada Talks Entrepreneurship, Living in Rwanda & Decision to Only Hire Single Mums in Restaurant
When COVID-19 hit, Mio Yamada ignored an advisory by the Japanese Embassy to leave Rwanda and return to Japan. She had fallen in love with Africa as student in university when she cycled 5,000 km from Kenya to South Africa. Years later, she relocated to Rwanda with her family, opened up a restaurant, and decided that she would hire single mothers as her staff. Forced to shut do
Embracing my Journey as an Endo Warrior
I have struggled with excruciating menstrual periods since I was a teenager. It’s the kind of pain that pain medications don’t even begin to soothe. I have also spent the last eight years consulting numerous doctors because of my unexplained infertility. I did not realize that the two were related and that so many women are affected like me.
Author Amanda Tayte-Tait Opens up About Childhood Abuse & Inspiration Behind Recent Book
Eventually, my family found out through my boyfriend, who I had confided in. Everything went crazy at that point. A blame game went on between my father and mother. My mother even had to travel to South Africa to confront the person. The police got involved. I was barraged with questions, are you sure there was penetration? being a pretty consistent one. I did not know what the
Award-winning Model Ayanda Candice Sibanda: How I Rose Above Bullying & Discrimination Due to Albinism
This is a mantra that Ayanda Candice Sibanda, a phenomenal young woman, has lived by through every ordeal she has faced. She has faced bullying and discrimination but has managed to come out on top. Ayanda spoke to The Weight She Carries about how life has been for this award-winning model.