In a bid to help improve the standard of living of women and girls, especially those in rural areas across Lagos, Nigeria, Karis and Eloes Hand of Hope Foundation has committed to empowering 5,000 women. The project is intended to reduce the harsh economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also decreasing the migration of rural women to urban areas, by empowering them with business and life skills that will elevate them from extreme poverty and encourage their migration back to their local communities.

The African Union (AU) is set to celebrate and document the stories of African women and girls making a difference through demonstrated, exceptional leadership with an Initiative rolled out through the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) of the Commission.

By Aditi Maheshwari

South Africa has a poor record at the Olympics, and in gymnastics in particular. With a background of financial constraints and lack of proper training to support a great aspiration, Astride Mikoko took her first steps in gymnastics at the age of five. Her humble beginning started on the couch in her parent’s house on the outskirts of the city of Pointe-Noire, the second-largest city in the Republic of the Congo in Central Africa.