The Woman Of My Dreams

What’s in a woman? Why a woman? And why not a woman? Who will ever believe a woman?

Author: Iribagiza Patience

What’s in a woman? Why a woman? And why not a woman? Who will ever believe a woman?

I grew up asking myself those questions just because I am a woman living in a society that leaves you with unanswered questions.

Picturing a woman as a little vulnerable creature, dependent and burdening, her soul isolated in loneliness wondering and wishing to be someone else.

Trying to accept all she was labeled and forced to be. It is just as simple as I found myself on earth, I had nothing to worry about and reached my growth stage where I always had to take and learn what I am given or taught.

Just as a young innocent girl, who didn’t know who she was and never cared about it. I grew up with my young brother playing, fighting and doing a lot of crazy and annoying things.

And whenever my parents were about to leave, they would tell me to take care of my brother because I was the elder and a girl. I got younger sisters and brothers as years went by and found myself being the big sister. We finished our basic or primary level and joined high school, our parents counted us as old then.

I was this kind of a person who never shared anything; always felt I could do better for the world, always struggled to be me and better. I had joined a girls’ school, where you could always see this confidence and power of being phenomenal, I felt that too. As days went by, I always had plans for my holidays; I couldn’t wait to see it coming along and go back home to share with my parents all I wanted to do over the holidays.

The first thing to do as I reached home was telling them stories of how school was, what new policies were there and best memories that I had and then share what I want to do for the holidays.

All would go well as I planned to share it but I always had this lazy look from my dad that definitely implies not to keep on talking about it and the only answer was,” first study” at least I was even told that.

My mum is the kind of a person who always wished to have a chance of being her however much it was always had to be and I always had the same spirit. As days went by, getting to know more about myself and the world we live in, I felt so disappointed with what dreamt this world would be to me.

"You can never manage that, may be your brother." I was shattered.

I remember myself in form 10, my general paper teacher asking me what professional course I will study. Quietly and confidently told him that I will do ACCA (Association for Chartered Certified Accountants), with all the discouraging looks he said,” You can never manage that, may be your brother!” I was shattered.

But no matter what, I kept pushing trying my luck to become the woman I always wanted. I met new friends along the way who told who I was and encouraged me to never give up what’s in me.

I was timid at some point, worried about sharing my opinions because all I knew was that they are not enough and everyone will be judgmental. I used to have my small diary at school where I would write what I felt in the form of a poem that had no form itself but just pouring all that I could not express to anyone else.

After high school, I enrolled for my ACCA and passed my first papers, I was more confident than ever I was. At that point I knew that all I put to heart, I will achieve it and success has no sex.

I started living a life full of hope even when society gave me less of it. I promised myself to live to prove the world the power of a woman and what is in her that it cannot see. I treasured the greatness I always had even when no one recognized it; I live my life full of positivity.

Today I encourage young women and all the women in general, to be free. Be yourself! Imagine the woman you are when you let the world know what you carry in your beautiful self, the patience, the hope, the light of the world. Show them what they missed when you were not you.

Let the world say I am blessed because we have women like you. I am glad to be pursuing my ACCA to build my career.

I co-founded a non for profit organization called “Afro Ark” that envisions a generation free of malnutrition, poverty and preventable diseases where women and girls partake in the same rights as men.

I am so glad to be building up the woman I always dreamt of and giving a hand to my fellow young women out here.

Let yourself be YOU as a powerful woman indeed.