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.
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