At 5 years old, most children are busy playing with their dolls or games like hide and seek. But me? I was dreaming of changing the world. I even dreamed of becoming one of Women Who Changed the World, just like Lady Diana, as I always watched my mother admire her through the TV program.
I remember very well my mother had a whole magazine about Lady Di’s life. Of course, I was not brilliant enough to read what was written there, but I got captivated by a photo where she was talking to a group of Africans. I was kind of curious to see a white woman so at ease with Black people and asked my mother the story behind this photo. She later explained to me what kind of gem Lady Diana was.
The passion she had to help the poor soon became my passion. I entered the world of politics and joined the opposition party at 23, campaigning against poverty and gender inequality. However, in the political world, young female legislators are discriminated against by their male counterparts just for who they are. I discovered that for me to be a politician, I needed to be part of this whole rotten system and betray my own values. Was this my purpose? Going by what Lady Di once said, “I’d like to be a queen in people’s hearts, but I don’t see myself being the queen of this country,” I realized that dreaming about a better world for everyone is far more important than dreaming of becoming a politician. So, I quit politics at the beginning of 2020.
My latest project is creating an online think tank that allows young Africans to write and share their experiences and learn how to promote better networking in Africa. Why are we conditioned by society to work at a maximum level while earning the minimum? Can we give the same respect to a cleaner that we give to a bank CEO? Can we all not be equal and respected for who we are? I dream about a meritocratic world where social justice prevails, everyone is happy, poor children are not forced to leave school, and women are free to voice their concerns.
I want to contribute to making a better Africa by putting an end to the stereotype that we Africans, we Blacks, are animals! We are not filled with only corrupted dictators, malnutrition, illiteracy, and poverty! As we all share the same Mother Earth, we should be fair to each other. We will make a world where social justice prevails above all! That is my dream.
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