My mother could be a great entrepreneur, but she was forced into another role.

Men and women are created equal, not just a cliche. Thomas Jefferson wrote it down and the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. But only after the American Revolution people interpreted it as a promise for individual equality. As “equality” we understand today. You can even find it back in religions but for long, theory and reality stood far from each other and still, today it is more of a promise than a reality. It is also a very touchy topic. In some countries, it is almost a given, in other countries you can get stones thrown at your head. It is great to fly to Mars, but maybe we should get Earth arranged first.

And there is more. The winner in our latest Now Sprint Accelerator was a great team with a very powerful woman founder, Glory Alice Muriu, with team Waopads. Remember the touristic space travel announcements and then think of Waopads. Alice came up with this project that produces and distributes reusable pads for menstruation in Kenya. When she got the question of the jury “what do women use if they do not have hygienic pads?” she answered, “anything that could collect the bleeding”. I am not mentioning the shame and stigma that falls down on the women experiencing a natural, monthly process. This is also inequality and I am very proud of what Alice is trying to achieve!

My mother had always the desire to start her own business but the role that was given to her was to serve her husband and raise the kids. All she wanted to do was help and serve people and create her own business that could also provide economic independence. She was locked up in a life in which she could not make the choices she wanted, just undergoing “destiny”.

I still remember the Wednesday lunches after school and discussing what a better life could be. The poor woman died way too young with a church full of loving people but she never could even come close to her dreams, the happiness she was entitled to.

The choice of the cover picture was inspired by the anger I feel, confronted with the pain woman undergo. And why men, as in man, used and still use their physical strength, economic advantages, cultural status to stand in the way of the happiness of women. My mother would have been a great entrepreneur.

More info on International Women’s Day here.

Kolay Gelsin,

Patrick Bosteels

patrick@stage-co.com