In celebration of International Women’s Day on 8th March, we asked our staff members to share about the women in their lives who have inspired them, and what it means for them to be strong women in this modern age.
To me, a strong woman is an individual who is confident of herself, shows selflessness and is unafraid of being herself.
Personally, the women who always inspire me are my late grandmother and my mother – two women who have shown me true sincerity and strength in the ways they raised me and my family. I’m also awed by all the single and widowed mothers we’ve met, who have shown me their strength through the stories they shared.
To me, a strong woman recognizes that you don’t have to have it together all the time, and that you deserve to love yourself no matter what state you’re in. Many of us think that allowing yourself to feel vulnerable is weak, but in reality that is a strength because you’re giving yourself the power to choose you first.
The woman who inspires me the most is my great grandmother, Che Zahara binte Noor Mohamed. She was the first activist in Singapore to fight for women & children’s rights. I never met her, but listening to all the stories of her growing up really made an impact on me.
She inspires me to always fight for my rights as a woman in Singapore, and I’m really thankful for her work that made us who we are today. She will always be a hero in my eyes.
International Women’s Day is a global initiative to support women from all walks of life. On this day, we celebrate women’s historical achievements, acknowledge the issues they face in the present, and take steps towards a future where we #EmbraceEquity.
Find out more about our projects that support women in need here!