Forbes Africa hosted women from across the globe on March 8th to celebrate, teach and inspire, to exchange knowledge and wisdom with one another. This year’s theme was women 3.0: The Icons and Ideas Shaping Africa.
The event began with a powerful speech by Forbes Africa Managing Editor, Renuka Methil, “let us ignite historic shifts for a common future. Ideas can’t win if they’re not heard, and in this room today, we will hear them, we will back them, and we will live them with courage, conviction and curiosity.”
Dr. Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa followed with her inspiring and informative speech, in which she discussed the struggles and challenges that women in Africa continue to face, the importance of creating space and opportunities for women, and her passion for science and technology, as well as how women in science are steadily growing.
“Despite the positive sentiments, there exists in our country and worldwide, terrible levels of gender inequality and brutal repression of women and girls,” said Dr Pandor in her speech.
“We can make change because today women can form unions,” said Pandor in her speech.
The Minister also mentioned women’s potential to rise to the top and become leaders in their fields.
Several speakers such as Lehlogonolo Mashaba, Nomcebo Zikode, Naseem Banu Lahri, and Aya Chebbi, took to the stage to share their inspirational stories, on they made it through the struggles and reaching their success and how they are still climbing the ladder.
Elsa Majimbo graced the stage in her interview with Renuka Methil, she shared her journey from being a college dropout to becoming social media sensation jumping from seven thousand followers to two million followers.
In her interview she shares the struggles as a comedian and how tough it is. When asked to choose which one she preferred between Comedy and Chess, she definitely went for Chess as she said it reminds her how smart she is.
Nomcebo Zikode Grammy Award winner, took to the stage and shared her journey to success, how she started her music career as backup singer and her Grammy award.
“I’m happy I kept fighting, I kept hoping, and said ‘one day you’re going to be the artist that you want to be’”
Zikode mesmerised the audiences with her global hit Jerusalema.
Comedian and Media Personality, Tumi Morake graced the stage to honour all the women in her life who helped her reach her goals and be the women she is today.
Lehlogonolo Machaba, the first transgender woman to compete in Miss South Africa and make it to the top 30, created history with her amazing narrative. She talked about how she was constrained and always put in a box because of who she is, how she learnt to love herself and how she utilised beauty and fashion to inspire others.
Kaitlin Rawson, the world’s number one aerial sports champion, discussed her road to becoming the world’s number one. The Political Science alumnus was engaged in a tragic accident during her practise that left her with fractured vertebrae. She also talked about how her passion of aerial sports inspired her to start walking again.
The Event was filled inspiration and wisdom from all true African women who are indeed Icon in their own beautiful way.
