WOMEN'S STORIES
In this section you will find stories of women RWM has encountered during its years of work on the field. We believe it's important for the world to know what these women have experienced, for their voices to be heard.
SIZANI
NGUBANE
"Sizani was born in 1946 in the village of KwaMpumuza, KZN, 2 years before the establishment of the Apartheid regime.
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In 1956, when she was 10 years old, her mother was forcibly evicted form her marital home by her brother-in-law after her father had committed suicide.
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Sizani accompanied her mother to ask their traditional leader to allocate them land. They were refused, and Sizani still remembers his hurtful words:
“Mama uNgubane, I wish your daughter was a son, I would be allocating land to you now. But because she is a girl and your eldest son is still too young. I am sorry but I am unable to allocate land to you.”
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Sizani, her mother and younger siblings were evicted from their home and refused the possibility to be allocated land just because the laws did not recognize women in their own rights. They had to be represented by men. Although this was over 60 years ago, Chiefs continue these sexist oppressions. In 1956 Sizani’s mother could not fight back against this unfair treatment, but today this behavior is unconstitutional and women have the power to resist such acts. From this moment onward, Sizani knew she had to be a part of the solution.
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She started RWM to fight back against the gender inequalities plaguing rural Kwa-Zulu Natal. Sizani, herself a victim of gender inequality, decided to become an activist in order to assist women that are going through sexist treatments".
RWM founder and director
NONKU-LULEKO
"Nonkululeko was born in the village of Emangweni, in Uthukela district of KwaZulu-Natal. Her names in zulu language means “democracy”.
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Orphaned when she was four, she was raised by her grandmother.
When she was very young, watching tv, she saw for the first time a programme showing the inside of an aircraft. That’s when she thought that was where she wanted to be. She was doing very well at school, hoping to become a pilot when she graduated.
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At 14 years old, her uncle traded her off for marriage to a man much older than her, gaining eight cows. She was then abducted by three men, tortured and raped.
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She committed suicide in 2015, leaving behind five kids. She could have escaped abroad, but didn’t want to leave behind her grandmother, who had raised her".
JABULILE
"Jabulile, which means “happiness”, was a friend of Nonkululeko. They used to live in the same village, in the rural area of Emangweni in Uthukela district, Kwa-Zulu Natal.
When her father died, her mother was "inherited" by the dead man's brother.
At the age of 15, Jabulile was abducted by four men and forced to marriage with one of them, who was 8 years older. Her brothers reported the fact to the police, but it was pointless.
Her husband died about 4 years ago. She has a boyfriend of her choice, now".
MORE COMING SOON...