World Teachers’ Day: The Women Who Teach Also Shape the Women Who Lead
By Blossom Ukoha “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela’s words capture a truth that is often overlooked: education does not transform societies by itself. Teachers are the people who turn education into opportunity. They stand at the intersection between knowledge and possibility, helping young people discover what they can become. For millions of girls, particularly across Africa, a woman teacher can be more than an educator. She can be a role model, a mentor and, sometimes, the first woman in a position of authority they encounter. That is why World Teachers’ Day 2026, observed on Monday, 5 October, is about more than celebrating teachers. It is a moment to ask whether the people entrusted with shaping future generations are themselves receiving the recognition, protection, resources and professional support they need. The 2026 observance, held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris,…
World Habitat Day: Why Adequate Housing Is Essential to Women’s Safety, Health and Power
By Blossom Ukoha For millions of women around the world, home is more than a physical structure. It is where children are raised, livelihoods…
International Day for Universal Access to Information: Can Women Shape Their Futures Without Reliable Information?
By Blossom Ukoha A young woman sees an announcement about a government-funded business programme on her phone. The opportunity could help her expand her…
When Her Ambition Becomes a Relationship Issue: Can Love and Female Ambition Coexist?
“You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you will threaten the man.”— Chimamanda…
Raising Emotionally Resilient Children: What Parents Can Do Every Day
It is bedtime, but your child is still awake. Tomorrow is the school presentation, and the anxiety that has been building all week has…
Jennifer Lopez: What Her Vogue World Milano Moment Says About the Power of Reinvention
“I’ve always responded to Dolce & Gabbana because it feels like they really love women through their clothes.”— Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lopez has spent…
From Alexandra to FirstRand: The Remarkable Rise of Mary Vilakazi
By Blossom Ukoha “Growing up I would not have said I would be CEO of the largest bank in South Africa, but it is…
What Does Lytania Johnson’s Rise to FNB CEO Mean for Women in Banking?
By Blossom Ukoha “My trajectory [was] an accumulation of different chapters across finance, risk, human capital, and corporate management.” For Lytania Johnson, becoming Chief…
Emrie Brown: How a “Jungle Gym” Career Led Her to the Top of RMB
By Blossom Ukoha A career does not always move in a straight line. For Emrie Brown, it has looked more like what she calls…
8 Hindrances Keeping Women-Owned Businesses from Scaling
By Blossom Ukoha A woman can build a profitable business, attract loyal customers and create jobs, yet still struggle to take that business to…
The Home as Her Power Base: Creating Spaces That Support the Woman You Are Becoming
By Janet Coin At the end of a demanding day, a woman walks through her front door, drops her bag and exhales. Work can…
The New Definition of a Successful Woman: Career, Family or Freedom?
By Blossom Ukoha For generations, society has offered women a familiar formula for success: build a career, get married, have children, care for the…
