A (Very Quick) History Lesson for Women's Day

August 9th is a national holiday in South Africa. It's meant to commemorate the day South African women of all colors marched in 1956 against the pass laws, which required all non-white South Africans to carry identity documents. The pass laws were one of the defining pieces of legislation of the Apartheid system and relegated non-whites to a space of restricted freedoms and rights. 20,000 women marched in Pretoria. The women sang:

wathint'abafazi
wathint'imbokodo
uza kufa

(when you strike a woman / you strike a rock / you will be crushed)

This has become a saying in South Africa to reflect the strength of the women here.


Also, mothers2mothers' Youtube Channel has posted a segment filmed in m2m's site in Likuni Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi. It features some of m2m's clients, Mentor Mothers, International Director Robin Smalley and Board member Debbie Bickerstaff.