Picture credit: Bible Society / Andrew Boyd
Africa’s women are calling for change.
The role of women in leadership is a prominent theme of ABLI 2018. Women have played a major role in hosting and presenting the sessions at the 8thAfrican Biblical Leadership Initiative in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).
ABLI speaker Caroline Marsh described how she left her home in Zambia to find a better life in England, only to encounter prejudice. She was black, African, young and female.
Discrimination
‘I found discrimination in England, because of my gender,’ she told delegates. Another challenge was her lack of self-belief.
‘I lacked confidence, because I had no knowledge. The Bible says the people perish because of a lack of knowledge.’
Things turned around when she found a mentor, who believed in her and helped her develop her property business.
‘Today I do great things because other people believed in me,’ she said.
Stay and shape our culture
Her challenge to ABLI was how to help other young people in Africa do the same without abandoning the countries of their birth.
‘How can we shape our culture in Africa so young people can come together to become what God has called us to be?
Caroline’s mentor in the UK was male. She said: ‘Men and women need to work together to fulfil the purposes God has for us. My own background tells me this is possible. And what I see in this room [at ABLI] tells me the same.'
Caroline Marsh outlined a three-point plan for change:
Align
‘First, we must align with God’s vision and God’s purpose. What does God desire for the continent of Africa? What is God’s picture? If we know the plans and purposes of God for our country, then what role must we play in that?’
The next step, she said, was to overcome any inferiority complex. ‘We are all made in the image of God. How do we begin to complement each other? As we work together, God will do amazing things.
‘Thirdly, we need to create an environment for growth, through mentorship, workshops and seminars to help our young people and our communities.
‘I can’t change my gender or my colour. God has made me a black woman. And I’m young.’ But she told ABLI that culture and age must never be barriers to co-operation. ‘Instead, our culture and age enable us to complement one another.’
ENDS
Picture credit: Bible Society / Andrew Boyd
Andrew Boyd
