Nairobi, Kenya – In a powerful act of resistance and reclamation, the Alliance for Women and Girls (AFWAG) unveiled Daughter of the Soil, a searing feminist documentary, unapologetically prioritizing the voices and rights of girls and young women. More than a film, the mini-documentary evokes a bold declaration that African girls deserve to learn, to lead, and to live free from the chains of patriarchal oppression.
Daughter of the Soil is not merely story telling, it is a thrilling tale and an attempt to rewrite history through the lenses of those who have too often been left out but refused to give up. It is a heartwarming story that confronts the systemic injustices that were used to deny African girls education. It also paints a possible future, one in which girls and young women are liberated, exercise power, and showcase their epistenic rights.
But beyond this shimmer of belief, the question of gender equity and women’s empowerment within Sub-Saharan Africa remains a prevailing quagmire 30 years after the Fourth World Conference on Women, commonly referred to as the Beijing Conference. For far too long, African girls and young women have been subjugated but the domination of the prevailing patriarchal norms.
Thus, the potential of African girls and women has been sidelined and marginalized, yet they comprise 50.5% of Africa’s 1.54 billion population, a demographic majority rendered invisible by systems that fear their power.
Speaking at the premiere of the documentary Daughter of the Soil, the Founder and Creative Lead at Equality Vanguard said, ” The girl child has not been a priority, she has been treated as an afterthought in a world urgently in need of her light, her leadership, and her voice.”
Lauding similar sentiments with the same tone, Simon Odhiambo, Programs Manager from Goya Afrique Foundation, said, “Gender imbalance that disadvantages girls and young women warrants urgent attention.” Isaac believes that both women and women need to work together to ensure that no gender is discriminated.
It is perhaps for this reason why, Dr. Vongai Nyahunzvi, Founder and Director of the Alliance for Women and Girls (AFWAG), is committed to creating a world where African girls and young women have their needs fully met. Dr. Nyahunzvi lauded that the girl’s place is not confined to domestic chores but in the realm of development and transformation.
Dr. Vongai Nyahunzvi believes that African girls and women should never hold back their rights and endeavor to resist deeply entrenched patriarchal norms. She insisted that Africans need to collaborate to dismantle systemic systems that undermine women’s leadership. She also said, “Women-led organizations need to work with policymakers and in the philanthropic entities to enhance the well-being of African women.
In her remarks, Dr. Nyahunzvi said, “We currently have over 200 organizations that we currently work with across the continent. She further said, “We believe that multiple narratives shape everything.”
Seemingly, the Alliance for Women and Girls (AFWAG)’s documentary is a weapon against complacency because it refuses to let society look away from the injustice of denied education, early marriages, and stolen potential. Whether it disrupts the deeply rooted patriarchal order can only be left for time to reveal.