Female Farmers

Zambian female farming groups are very happy to hear the news that the government has launched a $500,000 Sustainable Livelihood and Women Empowerment Project.

Poor women farmer groups will now at least have some opportunity of getting financial help as well as help with new technology. We women farmers will also get help with training and livestock resources. The project is said to support 1,900 households and is in part of the process toward meeting the millennium goals.

To help women in this way is vital for the success of Zambia as empowerment is itself a method of pushing the country forward. The sooner government and other agencies realize that women hold the key to social progress the better.

Besty Kula, Zambia

Popular Uprising

While watching the news about the many protests in Africa I was thinking of the saying attributed to Abraham Lincoln, who said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time." This is exactly what happened in Tunisia, Egypt, now Libya and Algeria and also in the Middle East. Governments think that the people can take and take and take the hardship and lack of freedom. They should know that a boiling pot with a lid will eventually burst. The public consciousness is something that gathers momentum. It is a living thing that will eventually find an outlet, like a river that eventually flows to the sea, just as the will of the people must eventually be heard. I wonder what politicians think when they see such protests. The Buddhists say that everyone has a cause and effect. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in Egypt, where the generally peaceful protest reminded me of the peaceful revolt method used by Gandhi. Absolute power does corrupt absolutely and people will eventually seek change if their needs are not met. It is common sense. And the people involved in these protests are common people. No doubt the leaders who govern will always promise the Earth and it is up to all of use to ensure we inherit the Earth.

Priyanka Parshotam, Uganda

Women's Day Blues

Thank you for your always interesting magazine. Each year I find myself unhappy about this so-called Women's Day on March 8. Why do we as women go along with this day when we have to suffer so much the whole year? Society only pays lip service to the plight of women and all the good intentions in the world are not going to help us. We need the men to stop abusing us. That is the real issue. The other day I saw my son pushing and shouting at a girl, despite all I have taught him for years. He is 14 and should know better. When I asked why he did such a despicable thing, he said in school all the boys act this way and he doesn't want to be seen as weaker than them. What kind of peer pressure is this? When boys see their father abuse their mothers, you know in those young minds they are thinking it is ok to do this. This vicious cycle goes on and on. Sexual harassment also constantly puts women in a tight spot. If we complain we lose our jobs, if we say nothing we are telling the men who do this that it is acceptable. No matter how many marches, speeches, initiatives or campaigns we have, as long as men abuse us we have achieved nothing. All Women's Day does is to remind me of the struggle it is to live as a woman.

Julia Sikaza, Zimbabwe

Positive Image

I found your story about the Nigeria Eko-Atlantic project very interesting and will follow it closely. This type of hi-tech city development is very important to Africa as it shows the brighter side of our continent. We can build modern infrastructure, we can use advanced technology and we can be innovative. Also the land used has been reclaimed which means for once people are not being forced off their land for the sake of progress. I am surprised this magnificent project has had so little publicity – certainly I have seen little news about it. It is good for Nigeria, which has a rather negative image in the world. I hope your magazine can keep us informed of the progress of the Eko-Atlantic City and let's have more of these stories about Africa.

Agnes Temidire, Nigeria