09 August has become a truly significant day on our calendar, for historic, life-changing reasons:
Women’s Day came about as a result of society recognising women for their achievements, and the fact that they excelled in the face of enormous challenges and suppression. It is a way of celebrating their value and importance to humankind, and the planet itself. They have made society sit up and think, waking us up to how unfair and unjust the “norms” were, all those years ago.
For example, there was a time when women were forbidden to study, work or move about freely. They were even denied the right to vote!
On 09 August 1956, during the Apartheid era, over 20 000 women came together and protested outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria, in order to make their voice heard against the Pass Laws. At that time, women of colour had to carry a “Passbook” with them, wherever they went, so that the government could control their movements.
After delivering a petition to President J G Strijdom, the gathering of women sang a protest song, which was composed specifically for the occasion… Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! Meaning, “Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock”. This phrase subsequently evolved to, “you strike a woman, you strike a rock”, and has become symbolic of the strength and courage of South African women.
The leaders of this march were Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Lillian Ngoyi, Sophia Williams and Frances Baard. (A statue of Frances Baard was erected in Kimberley, and unveiled on National Women’s day, 2009.)
Our very first celebration of National Women’s Day took place on 09 August 1995.
A re-enactment of this famous march, was carried out in 2006, to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Touchingly, quite a number of the 1956 veterans were present.
So annually, on this 09 day of August, we shine a torch on African women and the challenges they face, such as domestic violence, unequal pay, inequality, sexual harassment, pornography, etc., to name a few.
We celebrate these wonderful women, stalwarts of our society. We now have innumerable successful businesswoman, parliamentarians, sportswomen, professional women, and so on, who, whilst proving themselves in their field, also juggle their careers with being dependable homemakers, mothers, wives, sisters, grandmothers, aunties ….. and all the unmentioned roles that women play!
So this is a very fitting month to celebrate our Evolution Life lady clients, who not only diligently take out insurance for themselves, but more often than not, also include their extended family members, for whom they take responsibility and care.
Thank you too, to our loyal and much respected and loved women in the Evolution Life family.
Without you, our company would not be where it is today. Through your commitment, concern, patience, hard work, endurance and dedication, we are still going from strength to strength.
WE SALUTE YOU LADIES! EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
