“Inspiring Change: Celebrating Our Women” Event in Essen

Theresa Atte Franz, Elisabeth Yeboah, Roland Oben, Mecki Ogburu
The panel: (l. to r.)Theresa Atte Franz, Elisabeth Yeboah, Roland Oben and Mecki Ogburu

Yesterday, saw the kick off of a week long celebration of women and will end on Saturday, on the International Women’s Day, with a gala dinner. 

Sarah Buma
Sarah Buma

The event was organised by the African Ivory and a Sister in Germany.  Although it was a “women’s event”. Men showed up, and it was great to have African men come to celebrate the women in their lives. A message echoed through out the event was that, “Women empowerment isn’t about fighting men, but working with them”. The speakers were very well prepared and had inspirational stories that they shared with us.

Some quotes worth taking from the speakers:

“Do your best always. Don’t do something because someone is watching you.” – Serah Buma

“As Africans in Germany, you don’t fight for a better life or education for yourself but to inspire your children” – Serah Buma

“When you apply for jobs, make sure you use the interview to “market” yourself because some people only see your skin. But you should be their “gateway” to learning the many other capabilities you have.” – Sarah Buma

“Have a vision and know what you want. When you know what you want, it’s easier to stand after falling because you know you haven’t achieved what you wanted yet.” – Sarah Buma

Oben Roland SOBA Foundation
Oben Roland of the SOBA Foundation

“Learn from the Germans, take the good and discard the bad practices” – Sarah Buma

“Fall down, it’s ok. Just make sure you stand up afterwards.” – Theresa Atte Franz

“Don’t think, because as you’re busy thinking whether to do something or not, time is going and when you’re done thinking, you’ll find what you wanted to do has been done.” – Theresa Atte Franz

“Where a road passes, development follows. Where education passes, change follows.” – SOBA Foundation

“Fear of failure tends to disables us from taking a step further”. – SOBA Foundation

“Have a vision and know what you want. When you know what you want, it’s easier to stand after falling because you k“Learn from the Germans, take the good and discard the bad practices” – Sarah Buma

Mercki Ogburu
Mercki Ogburu, kindergarten teacher from Essen

“Fall down, it’s ok. Just make sure you stand up afterwards.” – Theresa Atte Franz

“Don’t think, because as you’re busy thinking whether to do something or not, time is going and when you’re done thinking, you’ll find what you wanted to do has been done.” – Theresa Atte Franz

“Where a road passes, development follows. Where education passes, change follows.” – SOBA Foundation

“Fear of failure tends to disables us from taking a step further”. – SOBA Foundation

“School teachers in Germany are obliged to inform the officials (Jugendamt) on any irregularities they discover from children at the Kindergarten.” – Mercki Ogburu

“You have to fight for your children, if you want for the officials to do it, you’ll be waiting for a very long time.” – Elisabeth Yeboah

Three speakers I’d like to highlight are:

Dr. SEA Susan Aweh
Dr. Susan Aweh (SEA) of a Sister in Germany, talking about Uterine Myomas

She’s a medical doctor and did a presentation on five of the most common diseases that affect the African community. Her being a doctor ensured that she spoke from a point of knowledge. What I loved most was she explained some very complex issues in very very simple language. If she was a med professor, I’d change my study course 😉

“Doctors can do a lot, but they can’t do it all” – Dr. SEA

The diseases she highlighted were:

  • Breast Cancer
  • Fibroids
  • Gallstones and Cholezystitis
  • Hypertension, Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease

If you need advice or explanation on a a certain diagnosis, you can talk to the doctors at CAMFOMEDICS e.V. on their hotline: 0152 58099562

Inspiring Change- Celebrating Our Women in Essen 2014

Elisabeth Yeboah

Theresa Atte Franz and Elisabeth Yeboah
Theresa Atte Franz of Intertranslations and Curly Chocolate and Elisabeth Yeboah, member of the Integrationsrat for the Grüne Partei in Rattingen.

She’s a politician, a mother and a wife. Originally from Cameroon and married to a Ghanaian. A real iron lady in the true sense of the word.

She shared on how she brought her child from Cameroon, had the child sent to Hauptschule and how she had to fight for her child to be moved to a Gymnasium as he had great grades. She’s fought for her children, as in literally and she’s come out strong. Having to go to the Schulamt in Düsseldorf to have her child moved to Gymnasium yet the school directors had refused to move the child. She’s an inspiration and a true example to the fact that parents are the only ones who can fight for their own children. One of her other children has sickle cell anaemia, a disease that’s not very common in Europe (only found in the African community). She had to research and use that research to help her own child as well as other families that suffer from the same.

“Wir müssen mittendrin leben, nicht neben bei” – (We have to get involved, not sit by and watch)

Being a politician she encouraged more people to get involved.

Theresa Atte Franz

Theresa Franz Curly Chocolate
Theresa Franz the owner of Curly Chocolate, and the goody bag all attendees got to carry home.

Theresa was the comedian of the day. She was funny. Got all of us cracking our ribs but also inspired many of us.

“You don’t have to become a doctor in order to make it in Germany”

She’s an entrepreneur and owns three companies: two in Germany and one in Switzerland. The two companies focus on translation services “Intertranslation” and the other focuses on natural hair “Curly Chocolate“. She brought goodies for the natural hair folks.

Did I tell you there was cake? Yes ooo. Delish Danity were there, and their cakes. Gosh don’t get me started. They are very gentle on the eyes and the taste…..hehehe….These ladies are actually students studying Pharmacy and do the cakes as a part time thing 😉

Delish Dainty Beauties
The Delish Dainty Beauties presenting the goodies….those cupcakes….

In some parts of Africa especially in DRC, and some countries in West Africa. During the International Women’s Day, women have outfits made from the same fabric and wear on the day to celebrate this day. This group, called the Focus Women, came in their uniform and they were stunning:

Focus Women's Group
The Focus Women’s Group

We also had some Kenyans at the event:

Kenyans at the Inspiring Change-Celebrating Our Women in Essen 2014
Some kenyans at the Inspiring Change-Celebrating Our Women in Essen 2014
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