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Ex Miss SA reflects on Women's month

Honouring women after Women’s Month

This past Saturday, I watched with pride over 500 women made their way into the Vodaworld auditorium.

Scholars, students, young businesswomen, mothers and daughters had taken their Saturday to attend my third Women’s Day event.

The atmosphere was electric. As speakers Edith Venter, Thabiso Sikwane and Riah Piyegah shared candid personal anecdotes about their struggles and triumphs as women, I was struck by a realisation.

As women, we all too often shoulder things on our own. We take our personal challenges and stresses in our stride and forget to take the time for ourselves.

As I watched the many women of different ages and backgrounds cheering around me, I noticed they weren’t only cheering at the speaker’s successes, they were cheering at their strength through hardship, at their bravery of admitting that life may not always perfect, but its imperfections can be overcome.

For many of us, taking the time out listen to these speakers was a reminder that we are not alone in our everyday challenges.

As South Africans, Women’s Month gives us the opportunity to honour our history and remember the hardship we have overcome. The celebrations and events held during the month are a meaningful reminder for women to take the time out to nurture themselves and invest in their own well-being.

The speakers, guests and promising young students who attended my event illustrated the calibre of today’s South African women. These women are headstrong, accomplished, driven and compassionate. They are the Real Architects of Society.

As August draws to a close, I challenge South African women to continue to nurture themselves, honour their ambitions and make time for their interests. The design of a future, better South Africa lies in your capable hands.

read our interview with Joan here.


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