Online Reporter
Fadzayi Maposah
Correspondent
WHILE in high school, I struggled with mathematics.
I was fortunate to have good teachers who encouraged me in high school, but mathematics for me was never a walk in the park. It has never been my best friend.
In primary school, I loved mental mathematics and always excelled. Even when my desk mate would be marking my book while I marked his or hers, I would see more of the hand ticking than putting a cross.
It was always very nice getting top marks, and then taking my book to the teacher’s table for a star or a well done sticker. Those were great years.
It was getting to high school and realising what teachers had told me for seven years had to be unlearnt so that I could grasp new things.
I was told that it was possible to take five from one. It was all new, because all throughout primary school, I had been told that these were impossible things that just could not be done and subtracting a bigger number from a small one was one such impossibility.
To be honest, I felt betrayed by the teachers from primary school. I also treated the teachers from high school with some form of disbelief. Really, were they saying that my teachers lied to me all those years?
Were my teachers from primary school not aware of the information that their counterparts in high school knew? It baffled me then, but as I grow older, I realise that it is important that all information is age appropriate. I still have contentions regarding the word that my primary school teachers used, impossible.
As a result of the word, I went into mathematics lessons confused. I cannot blame the teachers for everything that befell me regarding my performance in the subject as others excelled in the same class, same teacher, and same textbooks.
I have siblings, children, relatives and friends, people I know who excelled in mathematics too and did not struggle with the related science, technology and engineering subjects.
I did what I could, I did not excel, but survived the lessons and examinations. I have always loved being creative and writing so I allowed that aspect of my life to flourish and also shape the career that I have. I was never pushed out of the STEM arena.
I was given ample opportunity to join the arena, but I decided that it was not my area. Being at girls’ high schools for six years taught me from a very young age that girls could do it. The schools were all about us and what we could do.
Occasionally former students would visit the schools and when we saw them, heard them speak, the sky was not even the limit for us and our dreams!
We were encouraged to go beyond the sky. That were some of the benefits of being at girls’ schools, in our community, we had to make sure that all careers were well represented. The science laboratories accommodated all girls doing the same experiments that boys at other schools were doing.
I was taken back to my high school days early this week, when I was invited to make a presentation to a group of women from a Government ministry that is highly technical. The occasion was to commemorate International Women’s Day.
Women came from all provinces and were truly dressed for the occasion. From the way they presented themselves, they had made a lot of effort to prepare for the day. They had left the work suits and the safety shoes that they wear on a day-to-day basis, traveling the length and breadth of Zimbabwe, inspecting infrastructure and ensuring compliance to dedicate a day to just being women.
In the conference, they were just that, regular and normal women with needs. Just being there and hearing them introduce themselves, including their designations, was a reaffirmation for me that women have hit and broken some barriers and ensured their participation in many careers that were previously male dominated,
I was fortunate to discuss issues with some of the women. No matter how much they work in male-dominated spheres, it is impossible for them to ignore being women.
They have menstrual periods, they get pregnant, they breastfeed and still remain the major caregivers at home despite working with males.
It is also important that they take go for routine health checks that other women are going for. There was a time when a woman in overalls (back then) and work suits would draw a lot of attention and nearly everyone would want to know where they worked. Not anymore.
During discussions, I learnt that women yearn for and need to rest. There many overworked women who carry the extra burden as a medal, yet their own health is struggling.
Information that was relayed to them when they were young has stuck with them such that they continue to work at the expense of their health. Self-care for some women is like a child hood dream.
The women move from hectic work schedules to demanding roles at home. The meeting highlighted that women need to take care of themselves, their health and actually take time to spoil themselves.
This Women’s Month,as a woman have a list of things that you need to do for yourself. Have a specific me-list.
Health wise, have subheadings of what needs to be done. Which health checks are due? What literature are you reading to expand your knowledge on health? When was the last time you actually went to the health facility, not because you are sick but to get information or just a routine checkup?
It is not impossible, like the mathematics teacher used to tell us in primary school. It can be done. Women travel far and wide, seeking compliance at work, but never seem to go out of their way for their own health.
I may have struggled with mathematics, but I did not abandon it, otherwise, I would have said I will not deal with any figures, but I still do. Rights, justice and action is this year’s theme. Know your rights, seek justice and take action regarding your health.
Always remember all rights come with responsibilities. May the males support the women to attain their health goals this women’s month and every other month. Women, you are celebrated! #Women`s Month
