Still, We Rise
Celebrating Women’s Resilience on International Women’s Day 2025
I’m not here to list all the struggles women have faced and continue to face because that is what it is always about. Today is a bit different, it’s about celebrating women and their resilience. Because let’s be real, what hasn’t been thrown at women? stones, missiles, everything dangerous and fetal that you can think of. And yet, they keep going. They rise. They always do and they come back even stronger!
Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise is more than a poem; it’s a declaration of strength, a testament to the unbreakable spirit of women everywhere like Elastigirl in 'The Incredibles', no matter how they are stretched, they come back to their normal state. Across history, across cultures, across every challenge, women have stood tall, pushed forward, and redefined what’s possible.
Women Have Always Risen
Women have indeed come far, from fighting for the right to vote to leading businesses, scientific discoveries, and social change, women have never stopped pushing boundaries. They have nurtured families, built communities, and changed the course of history. And yet, their strength isn’t just found in big, headline-worthy achievements until recently. It’s in the quiet moments too, the mother waking up before dawn to prepare her family for the day, the girl walking miles to get an education, the survivor of various forms of abuses who finds the courage to rebuild her life like nothing even touched her.
Consider the countless women who have reshaped industries, challenged norms, and forged paths where none existed. Think of trailblazers like Wangari Maathai, who fought for environmental justice despite resistance, or Malala Yousafzai, who stood up for girls’ education against overwhelming adversity. Their stories remind us that resilience is not just about surviving, it’s about thriving against the odds.
How about our very on, Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann who is a biomedical engineer and lecturer, Prof. Kaufmann is known for promoting STEM education, particularly for girls. She is also the renowned quiz mistress of the National Science and Maths Quiz, inspiring many young Ghanaian students to excel academically and teacher Stella Gyimaah Larbi, both making waves in the education system in Ghana.
Think of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose words challenge societal norms and empower women to embrace their full potential. These women, and many in our various communities ,-remind us that resilience knows no boundaries.
Resilience in Every Walk of Life
Resilience is the market woman who keeps hustling despite not knowing if her items will be bought. It’s the teacher shaping young minds with limited resources in a community with no electricity. It’s the activist refusing to stay silent in the face of injustice. It’s the rural farmer battling climate change in the Upper West Region to feed her children. It’s the young girl who refuses to let cultural expectations hold her back. Every single day, in ways both big and small, women rise!
Think of the single mothers who take on multiple jobs to ensure their children have a better future. Think of the young entrepreneurs breaking into male-dominated fields, determined to succeed despite systemic barriers. Resilience is woven into the fabric of womanhood just like the stitches she had to endure after childbirth, transcending borders and backgrounds.
The Power of Sisterhood
Resilience is not a solitary journey. Women lift each other up, mentor, support, and create opportunities where none existed before. In workplaces, in communities, in homes, women are each other’s greatest allies. The power of sisterhood cannot be underestimated, it is the force behind every major movement for women’s rights and empowerment.
When women support women, change happens. We saw it in the suffrage movements, in the fight for reproductive rights, in what Black Women for Wellness are doing, in the ongoing push for equal pay. A woman rising is never just about her, it’s about the generations she uplifts along the way.
Let’s Celebrate and Elevate
Today, let’s not just talk about women’s struggles, let’s amplify their victories. Let’s tell their stories, capture their journeys, and make sure their voices are heard. Let’s create spaces where their resilience is not just recognized but celebrated.
And I cannot end this without honoring the woman who has been the greatest example of resilience in my life, my mother. Through sacrifices, and unwavering love, she has stood tall, never backing down, never giving up. She is the reason I know the strength of a woman firsthand.
So today, and every day, let’s honor their journey. We will remind the world that no matter the storm, no matter the challenge, women will always rise, stronger, bolder, and unstoppable.
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