Optimism key in fighting adversity

Book Review
Edmore Zvinonzwa

PROLIFIC inspirational writer Cynthia Hakutangwi’s book “Can the Whole Woman Stand Up! Overcoming Adversity through Resilience” (2017) has timeless lessons for women.

The book explores a number of issues, but its key lesson is on building resilience so that women can rise from earlier setbacks to claim their rightful positions in life.

It is dedicated to all women who are determined to overcome adversity in their pursuit of wholeness.

Determination here refers to the capacity to fight and defeat stereotyping and biases, for example, the portrayal of women’s potential as second rate.

The author makes reference to one of her earlier books, “Destination Wholeness: Going Beyond Brokenness”, in which she shares some of her personal experiences — the violation of her innocence and how her confidence was shattered in early childhood.

“At such a tender age, I could never understand what pleasure a grown middle-aged man could derive from forcing himself on an innocent and tender young girl, too young to be in school, and still continue this for years to come without any remorse or fear of being caught. He never did get caught or reprimanded and he continued to work at the farm for several years afterwards.” (p23)

The sound of a Chigumba bus that plied the route past their family farm often gave the narrator the excitement of potential escape from the “emotional and psychological prison that had engulfed my world at such a tender age”.

The bus is symbolic; it suggests a potential journey, away from the abuse, which would provide relief.

“More than anything, it is important for individuals who have gone through painful violation to forgive themselves and accept that there is a covenant of grace that brings restoration and glistening beauty in that place of brokenness. We should not become satisfied by merely receiving healing and restoration, instead, we should stand up in our wholeness to pursue significant, purpose-filled lives.” (pp9-10).

Many women who have gone through similar experiences never emerge from the trauma, and this affects them throughout their lives.

Hakutangwi, who has published several other titles, advocates trust in God, who will also grant the women fortitude.

She says various people encounter different painful experiences and these often impact their lives negatively.

However, she reckons, sharing these experiences with others has the capacity to reduce the burden on the affected individuals. This act helps them deal with guilt, shame and social stigma that can arise from such situations.

The author seems to suggest that there is no type of problem people should shy away from sharing. She also refers to the positive views of life that people have when they are young, which they, nonetheless, abandon as they grow up.

In Hakutangwi’s view, thoughts about the problems encountered earlier might crop up later in life.

“Decades later sadly some of those voices are still rehearsed in our subconscious and have created invisible prison walls for us where we dreadfully fear to step out into the unknown.” (p13)

One interesting section of the book is on building resilience, an important quality needed to challenge situations that an individual may face. The writer opines that resilient women are authentic. She also feels that they are flexible thinkers and mostly optimistic. They reach out and use their strengths to fight adversity.

Hakutangwi was born and grew up in Chivhu, Mashonaland East province. She has become a sought-after organisational and personal development consultant. She is also a certified life coach and strategist.

Her writings and ministry provoke people as well as organisations to challenge their comfort zones.