I wrote this poem after the audiotapes a female Pastor called Mai Gunguwo posted all over the internet teaching girls and women to take sex as the only solution to life challenges. Read the whole article about her teachings on link below this poem. My poem seeks to educate women and girls on the need to be empowered and unleash their potential. Ironically the sexual organs they are taught to focus on are down there and the many challenges we face in life need us to think beyond giving sex to men. Although this woman preacher made it in life through sex to her husband as she asserts, we advise women and girls never to take life so naively. There is much more to life than making a man happy or disfiguring delicate body parts like the labia to please. She makes sex a myth and mystery and my poem urges women and girls to do something in life and to be economically empowered.

Girls Education is first

Empowerment is pulling brains up there, not labia down there

Empowerment is a process and not an event

That Instils, facilitates and provides the means

For a girl is empowered, focused and goal orientated

She is transformed from perceived victim into leader

She is transformed from myths to meaning

She is transformed from old traditions to modern wisdom

She is provided all basics for education first

She keeps one metre from sugar daddies

She is in classroom and not bedroom

She is let to lead and not led

She is supported and not scrutinised

Never teach a girl to pull clitoris down there

Teach a girl to pull the brains up there

Never teach a girl to elongate labia down there

Teach her to elevate herself educationally

Never teach a girl to a man`s pocket

Teach her route to her empowerment bag

Never teach a girl to marry only

Teach her to merry when married

Never teach a girl to look for master

Teach a girl to look for partner

Never teach a girl for work down there

Teach a girl for work up there

Never teach a girl house work only

Teach a girl to explore work out there

Never teach a girl a way to brothel

Teach a girl what hands can do

Never teach a girl to say, “Maybe”

Teach a girl to say Yes OR No

Never teach a girl to be a future beggar

Teach a girl to give to beggars in future

Never teach a girl confusion

Teach a girl to remain focused

Empowerment instils and facilitates the means

Empowerment is to empower a girl, powering nations

Empowerment comes hard way but is lived easy way

Empowerment injects itself where life is tough

Empowerment is decision and not destruction

Empowerment transmits energy and never laziness

Empowerment is two way and never one way

Empowerment is quality and not quantity

Empowerment is life long term and not short term

Empowerment is not a crowd, it is an individual

Empowerment is in closed doors and never so open ones

Empowerment is life and not death

Empowerment is up there and not down there

Empowerment is assertive and not passive

Empowerment comes in large containers and not small ones

Empowerment is feared and not favoured

Empowerment is not between a girl`s legs

Empowerment is all over her body

Empowerment is not pulling labia down there

Empowerment is pulling brains up there

Copyright Betty Makoni