The 100 ambassadors of the Women of Fortitude campaign have taken a step forward in driving the conversation of how women today can continue the legacy of MaSisulu.
Officially launched in November last year, the #WomenOfFortitude campaign seeks to encourage the current generation of young South Africans to continue struggle stalwart Ma Albertina Sisulu’s legacy of activism through 100 women ambassadors.
The initiative aims to promote social cohesion, women empowerment, recognise women across all sectors who have courageously and successfully broken barriers and contributing to building a South African envisaged in the Constitution, and to motivate the younger generation to do the same.
Marking the beginning of the work that lies ahead of them, the ambassadors participated in a sharing session held at Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) offices in Pretoria to discuss, among others, what is expected from them and how to use the platforms available to them to influence and share messages on the objectives of the campaign.
Mmabatho Ramompi, who was representing the office of Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on the centenaries of former President Nelson Mandela and MaSisulu, said that Women Of Fortitude is all about Ubuntu.
“… it’s [about] instilling the spirit of Ubuntu within yourself, and the more we do that, we will encourage all of us to do the same,” Ramompi said.
Dr Ntsiki Manzini-Mathebula from the Department of Women said there was a need to work in partnership, and that the campaign provides an enabling environment to achieve that.
“We are looking at integration and coordination. As we spoke of various projects that you are working on, I thought to myself that, as a department we are to lead in coordination and integration, because when you work on your own you don’t get that platform, and we are here to create that platform,” Dr Manzini-Mathebula said.
Actress and media personality Thami Ngubeni, who is one of 100 ambassadors, said she was honoured to be part of the campaign. She encouraged other ambassadors to start working, adding that “we can’t expect government to babysit us”.
“We are brave, we are gifted, we are wounded, we are brilliant and we are healers. We are innovators, change-makers, nation-builders, survivors, visionaries, diligent…..we are Women Of Fortitude,” Ngubeni said.
Ngubeni also argued that no matter if a person lives in another country and how awesome life is and where they go to chase opportunities, “nothing beats home”.
“Surely we agree that as Women Of Fortitude, we shall be conscious about our South Africanness, we shall be conscious about being patriotic, we shall be conscious about actively building South Africa and be for South Africa,” Ngubeni said.
Women Of Fortitude ambassador’s term is expected to run until September, where they will hand over the baton to 100 new women. – SAnews.gov.za
