Umoja is a village in the Samburu County of Kenya. Umoja means “unity” in Swahili, and is a women-only community founded in 1990 by Rebecca Lolosoli and a group of 15 women. These women were survivors of domestic violence, rape, and forced marriages, and as such created the village as a haven from patriarchal traditions.
Umoja has challenged centuries-old norms and proven that women can build an independent and self-sustaining society.
History, culture, and resistance are all interwoven into the richness of African women’s fashion. Before colonialism, African women dressed in ways that were representative of their culture, environment, and social standing. Clothing was more than just fabric, it served as a language, a means of self-expression, and an identification marker. African women’s fashion has evolved, shaped by trade, colonization, and modern influences, yet it still retains elements of the past.
Activism has changed in the digital age, and social media, particularly Twitter, has turned into a battlefield for African women’s feminist causes. Online platforms provide a new kind of resistance in a continent where patriarchal systems are still firmly established, allowing women to express themselves without worrying about censorship or physical harm. By calling attention to abuses, demanding responsibility, and changing cultural dialogues, hashtags have turned into tools.
On April 1, 1940, Wangari Muta Maathai was born, in Nyeri, Kenya. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 and founded the Green Belt Movement. She was among the few African women to receive higher education at the time. She received a scholarship from the Kennedy Airlift Program in 1960 and went to the United States to complete her biological sciences degree. She went on to get a master’s degree and a doctorate, making her the fi rst woman in East and Central Africa to accomplish so.
African culture has traditionally revolved around storytelling. History, wisdom, and customs were passed down orally through myths, proverbs, and folktales long before books and written documents were created. It was the responsibility of women in many African communities to preserve and pass on these stories.
When we think about the countless women writers today, it is hard not to wonder who the first woman to boldly pick up a pen, share her stories, and become known as a writer was. Who was that woman who refused to be silenced, even when society may have tried to stifle her voice?
In the Ashanti region of Ghana, is the country’s only natural lake. Formed over a million years ago by a meteorite impact, it is approximately 49 square kilometers in size and reaches depths of about 73 meters. The lake holds deep spiritual significance for the Ashanti people, who believe it is a resting place for the souls of the dead.
I watched my grandfather split open a kola nut with his bare hands, and for a moment, I thought it was magic. The nut cracked open effortlessly, revealing the pale lobes inside. He caught my curious stare and chuckled.
In the Limpopo province of South Africa, the Balobedu people hold a centuries-old belief in the power of rainmakers. At the center of their tradition is the Rain Queen, Modjadji, a mystical figure whose lineage dates back to the 16th century. Unlike most African monarchs, the Rain Queen does not rule through war or political alliances. Her power comes from the skies. She is believed to possess the ability to summon rain.
I looked at my grandmother’s face one evening and I must have stared for so long because she shouted “What?!” at me. But I was just intrigued at the marks that lined her face. And so I asked, “Did your parents not love you? Is that why they cut your face?” The room became silent. No one had ever asked her about the several black marks against her fair skin, or the blackness of her lower lip. She was the most marked person I knew, with long lines and swirls running down her arms and down her legs.
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