Photo Essay

Pan-African Women’s Day

Africa

“Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a nation.”

Today, we celebrate Pan-African Women’s Day which, according to the African Union, is “a day to celebrate and acknowledge the Foremothers of Africa who gallantly fought for the liberation and development of this continent”. It is a day dedicated to recognising the vital role women play in achieving the continent’s inclusive growth and sustainable development goals.

It has been aptly said: “Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a nation.”

The African Development Bank says that women are also the backbone of the economy, with Africa boasting the highest percentage of women entrepreneurs in the world.

”Women typically reinvest up to 90% of their income in the education, health and nutrition of their family and community – compared to up to 40% for men. This means that investing in women’s businesses can transform societies.”

At ForAfrika, we too believe that empowering women drives community-wide progress. This is why women and girls are a central focus of our programmes, from education to health and nutrition.

Tragically, conflict and climate change often force women to leave their homes, farms and businesses. They have to start again with nothing, setting their progress back many years, if not indefinitely.

In this special photo essay we pay tribute to women who, despite being displaced from their homes, continue to demonstrate remarkable strength, resilience and creativity.

Photos: ForAfrika Chief Photographer, Sulette Theron

Mary Anai Akuei is the woman representative of internally displaced people living in the Pabial Settlement outside Bor in South Sudan. Mary’s home and farmlands were destroyed by severe floods and she has been unable to return.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Emily Aredu fled from South Sudan to Uganda and now helps to tend the garden at the Kuluba Reception Centre where refugees are cared for on their arrival. The vegetables are used to make nutritious meals for refugees.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Women who have been displaced through inter-communal conflict or floods are learning how to garden along the river banks in Pibor, South Sudan. The new skills learned enable them to feed their families and sell any surplus vegetables at the local market.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Zura Alifa Assumane has not seen her daughter since her village in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, was attacked by insurgents. She had to flee and is now living in the Nikuapa Settlement. Although she has refuge, not a day goes by that she does not wonder what happened to her little girl and whether she is still alive.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Rosemary Anania and her children fled conflict in South Sudan. She joined an agricultural training group and a Village Savings and Loan Association when settled in Uganda. She has since opened a small shop at the Imvepi Resettlement, where she now lives.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

A family of women lost their home to cattle raiders in Bor, South Sudan. Together they have built a beautiful new house for themselves.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Zainabo Achimo is living in the Nikuapa Settlement, Mozambique, after she had to flee horrific violence in her own village further north. She has built a new home and life there, but longs to return home.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Under Uganda’s Refugee Policy, refugees and host communities are encouraged to work together in order to thrive. Through shared agricultural and business pursuits, the groups of women are creating their own incomes and saving any profits.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Help millions of Africans
provide for themselves.

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Photo Essay

Pan-African Women’s Day

Africa

“Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a nation.”

Mary Anai Akuei is the woman representative of internally displaced people living in the Pabial Settlement outside Bor in South Sudan. Mary’s home and farmlands were destroyed by severe floods and she has been unable to return.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Emily Aredu fled from South Sudan to Uganda and now helps to tend the garden at the Kuluba Reception Centre where refugees are cared for on their arrival. The vegetables are used to make nutritious meals for refugees.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Women who have been displaced through inter-communal conflict or floods are learning how to garden along the river banks in Pibor, South Sudan. The new skills learned enable them to feed their families and sell any surplus vegetables at the local market.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Rosemary Anania and her children fled conflict in South Sudan. She joined an agricultural training group and a Village Savings and Loan Association when settled in Uganda. She has since opened a small shop at the Imvepi Resettlement, where she now lives.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

A family of women lost their home to cattle raiders in Bor, South Sudan. Together they have built a beautiful new house for themselves.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Zainabo Achimo is living in the Nikuapa Settlement, Mozambique, after she had to flee horrific violence in her own village further north. She has built a new home and life there, but longs to return home.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Under Uganda’s Refugee Policy, refugees and host communities are encouraged to work together in order to thrive. Through shared agricultural and business pursuits, the groups of women are creating their own incomes and saving any profits.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Help millions of Africans
provide for themselves.

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Photo Essay

Pan-African Women’s Day

Africa

“Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a nation.”

Mary Anai Akuei is the woman representative of internally displaced people living in the Pabial Settlement outside Bor in South Sudan. Mary’s home and farmlands were destroyed by severe floods and she has been unable to return. Photographer: Sulette Theron

Emily Aredu fled from South Sudan to Uganda and now helps to tend the garden at the Kuluba Reception Centre where refugees are cared for on their arrival. The vegetables are used to make nutritious meals for refugees. Photographer: Sulette Theron

Women who have been displaced through inter-communal conflict or floods are learning how to garden along the river banks in Pibor, South Sudan. The new skills learned enable them to feed their families and sell any surplus vegetables at the local market. Photographer: Sulette Theron

Rosemary Anania and her children fled conflict in South Sudan. She joined an agricultural training group and a Village Savings and Loan Association when settled in Uganda. She has since opened a small shop at the Imvepi Resettlement, where she now lives. Photographer: Sulette Theron

A family of women lost their home to cattle raiders in Bor, South Sudan. Together they have built a beautiful new house for themselves. Photographer: Sulette Theron

Zainabo Achimo is living in the Nikuapa Settlement, Mozambique, after she had to flee horrific violence in her own village further north. She has built a new home and life there, but longs to return home. Photographer: Sulette Theron

Under Uganda’s Refugee Policy, refugees and host communities are encouraged to work together in order to thrive. Through shared agricultural and business pursuits, the groups of women are creating their own incomes and saving any profits. Photographer: Sulette Theron

Help millions of Africansprovide for themselves.

[email protected] +27 11 548 3900

[email protected] +27 11 548 3900

Thank you for your donation

Please select the country you are giving from.

Mary Anai Akuei is the woman representative of internally displaced people living in the Pabial Settlement outside Bor in South Sudan. Mary’s home and farmlands were destroyed by severe floods and she has been unable to return.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Emily Aredu fled from South Sudan to Uganda and now helps to tend the garden at the Kuluba Reception Centre where refugees are cared for on their arrival. The vegetables are used to make nutritious meals for refugees.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Women who have been displaced through inter-communal conflict or floods are learning how to garden along the river banks in Pibor, South Sudan. The new skills learned enable them to feed their families and sell any surplus vegetables at the local market.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Rosemary Anania and her children fled conflict in South Sudan. She joined an agricultural training group and a Village Savings and Loan Association when settled in Uganda. She has since opened a small shop at the Imvepi Resettlement, where she now lives.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

A family of women lost their home to cattle raiders in Bor, South Sudan. Together they have built a beautiful new house for themselves.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Zainabo Achimo is living in the Nikuapa Settlement, Mozambique, after she had to flee horrific violence in her own village further north. She has built a new home and life there, but longs to return home.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Under Uganda’s Refugee Policy, refugees and host communities are encouraged to work together in order to thrive. Through shared agricultural and business pursuits, the groups of women are creating their own incomes and saving any profits.
Photographer: Sulette Theron

Help millions of Africans
provide for themselves.

[email protected]
+27 11 548 3900

[email protected]
+27 11 548 3900