This week I had a very eye opening experience. I had the distinct pleasure of being in close dialogue with 15 women leaders from around the world. The women came together for a two weeks of study and collaboration at The Global Women’s Leadership Center at Santa Clara University. The purpose of their gathering was to bring issues and concerns from their businesses and or working lives that effect the growth and development of their countries. The program was set up so that the women can explore, in collaboration, potential solutions to these concerns.
As most know, when women come together, much support is shared and many solutions are realized. The most moving life story of the day was, for me, the story shared by a lawyer from Uganda who brought to the group a strong concern that she has about women, land and the hopeless direction of their lives in Uganda. She explained that when a woman holds land in Uganda, she becomes an important part of the power source of the country and went on to say that only a small handful of women are among the lucky few. Land gives her a base to work from, a place to grow crops and a place of stability from where she can raise her children. She spoke of the control that men hold over women and how they hold almost all of the power, the land and crops and the resources. She went on to say that the women experience much violence and abuse and have very little opportunity to escape, to get ahead or to have a voice in her country.
She happened to be presenting her story to a group of venture capitalists in the Silicon Valley who were all women. The audience was a group of supporting women who were there to understand issues that women from across the globe face. As she spoke and explained the severe needs of these women, tears fell from the eyes of most of the women in the room. A strong sense of empathy, care and concern was experienced by all. She made it very clear that we do not want hand outs we only want to be partners. She asked the women not to give look down at then and give to them as though they were needy but to make friends and to be partners. She said she did not want a hand outs, but asked for joined hands. The mood in the room was like no other that I have ever experienced.
Women began to raise their hands and say “What can we do to help?” Major US telecommunications companies stepped forth and offered to develop mentoring relationships between the women in their companies and the women in Uganda. Checks were written and alliances were formed that I am sure will clearly be life long.
What I realize from being apart of this amazing experience is that when we speak clearly about what we need, the world hears us and there are many possibilities for solutions and support that to us alone may even feel impossible. This experience taught me a great deal. I will never forget the joy on her face when she finally felt heard. I can not begin to imagine the joy that she will experience when she goes back to her country with renewed hope and the newly found potential of helping hundreds of women to own a small piece of land which will lead them towards a life of freedom, power and promise.
May we each find a way to make a difference in the world each day that we live.
Maureen Simon
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