Women of Rubies
Author

Women of Rubies

Browsing
In self development By

SIJU YUSUF : NO TO RAPE

‘I like you’ He said as he pressed his lips against hers so swiftly as if to meet a timeline.

The slap that followed the unsolicited ‘lip pressing’ was even swifter.
‘How dare you?’ She asked in a tone so lethal, one would think the soft spoken naive girl had just been possessed by the forces of darkness.
Her eyes narrowed with disgust as she clenched her fist tightly in a bid to restrain herself from further physical expression.
She would never have thought she was capable of defending herself with an assault so publicly.
How could she have known he would harass her this way?
She’s just a fresher at the university and her friends brother was supposed to help her settle in while he concludes his extra year.
She has just been reduced to her body or was it her lips? She has been defiled. Violated. Molested.
Isn’t this rape? Only without penetration?
Oh God, why her?
Why anyone? What did she do wrong?
She has been scarred. That girl too. Oh the boy. And the other one. On and on.
Rape victims, they are scarred. Emotionally, physically.
**********************************
You do not pray to be violated. How can anyone make light of such an occurrence. An evil act that is forever etched in the memory of the victims.
Forever.
Silence doesn’t mean consent! What is happening to morals and values? We deliberately flushed them down the drain?
Heck!
Any non-consensual sexual acts or actions against a person either by physical force, coercion or abuse of authority is violation of rights and a clearly defined case of rape.
For the sake of emphasis, a person who is incapable of giving valid consent due to unconsciousness, age, intellectual disability and is engaged in the act, is being raped!
A person who therefore knowingly makes light of these actions is an enabler who aids and abets and whose punishment should be as severe as the perpetrators. Or what other intents does an enabler have?
Many organizations are working tirelessly to reduce the statistics on rape reporting which as at today is a grossly dark figure of 91.6%. Actions of enablers, such as; stigmatizing victims, making jokes out of the act, silencing or encouraging victims to remain silent are reasons why the efforts of these organizations are perceptibly futile.
Individuals are joining walks to stop rape yet some other persons are belittling their efforts, perhaps, more interested in making it a parody.
Rape is not a joke!
Victims should not be stigmatized!
Victims should not be mocked!
Enabling is as evil as perpetrating!
#saynotorape
by
Keep Reading
In self development By

Oluwatosin Arodudu: Men, Ego & The Craving For Respect From Women

“The only thing that a man needs is respect”

I hear this popular statement every now and then being used to charge women to be respectful towards their husbands. It is said that the only thing close to the heart of a man, that he needs and craves, is respect. This statement has wreaked a lot of havoc in many homes. It has created a lot of men who have become unapproachable gods their homes, and to the society at large. This statement has positioned some men and pitted them strategically against their wives. It has made them stiff-necked, and like a panther, prowling quietly seeking for ways to accuse their wives and all women, as being disrespectful. It has created lots of men who have become an opposition on their own path of progress. They will not discuss issues with their wives because they see her input or advise to them as a sign of disrespect.

I was having a discussion with a couple… engaged to be married. Whenever this woman chipped in her own idea to our discussion, the man would shut her up and tell her she argues too much. He tells her to keep to quiet and stop arguing. We were having a brainy discourse, and this was his reaction to his intended wife. I watched that scenario play out all through the conversation. The woman is actually like an aunt to me, so I called her aside and told her: “Aunt, you would be making a mistake getting married to this man. He is going to project his self esteem issues on you and crush you. Please give this union a second thought. ”

She ended up calling off their engagement after a while, because she had an epiphany of the kind of prison she would subject herself to, all in the name of respect. Shortly afterwards, she met and married a man who saw her as a partner and celebrated her intelligence rather than crush it.

You can’t say because you are a man, then you disrespect your wife privately and publicly and yet demand absolute respect from her in return. How possible is this? Is she not human? Even if she respects you despite the disrespect you churn out at her, understand that the kind of respect she gives you is coming from a place of bitterness and hatred.

It will take a lot of grace for a woman to keep doling out respect to a man who constantly disrespects her.  That kind of respect if actually given by the woman, despite the disrespect she gets from the man, is toxic and it will attract ill luck.

Dear man what kind of a man are you? Are you a man of honor? How do you treat your wife? Do you know that respect begat respect? The kind of respect you showed her while you both were still in a relationship before marriage that made her so sweet towards you, why has that respect suddenly gone out the window?

Some homes are going through a whole lot of hardship because of this same respect issue that we keep saying is exclusive to men. Decisions which should have been jointly made by the man and the woman becomes the sole decision of the man. He deliberately decides not to seek for his wife’s input, because somewhere in his subconscious he feels if her input ends up to be right, then he would have lost respect in her eyes.

This is so wrong, and a terrible mindset. Sometimes your wife sees what you can’t see. Women are naturally intuitive and have the gift to perceive whatever might go wrong. How can you have such a beautiful gift in the form of your wife and you decide to belittle and treat her condescendingly? Don’t you realize you are short changing yourself and delaying your own advancement in life?

A woman once told me she can’t discuss issues that are ruining their marriage with her husband. The man would be so aggressive, not willing to listen, and she would forget everything she wanted to discuss. I told her to try another method – writing down a list, and agreeing with him on a convenient time for their discussion. She did this, and immediately the discussion started the man flared up and turned everything into a huge fight which ended up in tears for her. According to him, she was being confrontational by writing down a list of what she wanted to discuss with him.

Why are some men so full of ego and so impossible?

In conclusion everybody needs respect.

The man and the woman both deserve respect. It is what you plant in your wife that you will reap in double folds. That is why some women, even if they become scholars, business or company executives in life, would adore their husbands, and show him so much respect in private and in public.

Ask around or ask her why she does this, she would tell you her husband cherishes, respects, adores and supports her.

The only thing a man needs is not respect, a man needs a good heart in him, he needs to be respectful towards his wife. He needs to cherish, support and adore her. He needs to see her as his partner. He needs to seek her input in every decision that concerns their marriage and even some personal decisions. There is no good woman you treat this way that will not treat you even better.

A man and a woman both needs respect so their union can thrive on healthy grounds.

Photo Credit: Tracy Whiteside | Dreamstime.com

About Oluwatosin Arodudu

Oluwatosin Olajumoke Arodudu is a lawyer, a mediator, a negotiator and an arbitrator. She advocates for women’s rights and children’s rights. She is the author of the book Motherhood and the Society. She blogs at www.musingsandthots.com

Source: Bellanaija

by
Keep Reading
In self development By

Over 25 & Still Live At Home? Here Are 9 Struggles You Can Relate With

The whole idea of being an adult is that you are independent and you fend for yourself. Based on this idea, the general expectation is that by the adult age of 25 you have completed your education, gotten a job and moved out of your parent’s home. Unfortunately, the economy and a dreary labour market have created a boomerang effect, which now compels young adults to move back into their parents, or never even leave at all upon completing their education or finding a job.

Sure, it would seem that living with one’s parents would provide the perfect succor: a free room, free and regular home-cooked meal, the warmth and company of loved ones, and perhaps even free transportation; but those who actually live this reality would beg to differ.

Here are 9 of the struggles you face when you are over 25 and still living with your parents:

You are forced to live by your parent’s rules
This can be very agonizing because all the time you spent away at school and NYSC, you had a taste of freedom but now that you are back at your parents’, the joy of doing things the way you want them and at your own pace is completely gone. Your parents take that away from you.

You find that you have to schedule your movements around a curfew set by your parents; you need to seek their permission before going anywhere, or doing anything really. You have to conform to their house rules no matter how ridiculous it seems. Now, this would not be a problem if it did not completely stunt your social life. You cannot hang out as freely as you would like, and/or be in a stable relationship – because you do not have control of your time.

You start to believe that your sole purpose in life is to answer questions and run errands
“Why are you still sleeping? It’s already 6 a.m and you father needs his morning tea”

“Have you taken out the garbage?”

“Please bring that remote for me”

“Where are you going? With whom, and why? Also, when will you be back?”

The questions and errands are endless and you cannot escape them. Your excuses, no matter how valid, do not count; and when you insist, you are labeled ungrateful or lazy.

You find yourself trapped in annoying social situations
“Folake come downstairs and greet our old neighbour’s mother-in-law. She is here to visit”.
Your mother yells at you to come down and greet every Dick, Tom, and Harry, and you cannot escape because It’s rude not to apparently. Some days, you are the designated driver and fuel ‘purchaser’, you spend the whole day driving your parents.

Other days you are forced to tackle Lagos Island alongside your mother in the bid to buy Ankara for the family “and co”. Every event is dubbed a “family event” and you must attend -whether you had previous plans or not.

The worst is when you have had a tiring day at work and all you want to do is get home, eat a large plate and go straight to bed. Getting home, you find a house full of your parents’ friends or even worse, relatives and you have to serve them.

You are forced to listen to your parent’s advice and opinion on everything
Your parents will share their view on everything with you, whether you pay attention or not. They will still give you lectures on even the most obvious things and tell you what they think you should be doing.

Your mother will become your nutritionist and doctor telling what you should eat or drink and why. The most irritating is when they start with the phrase “When I was your age…” Ehen? And so? Are we the same? Were you 25 in 2017, biko?

You parents confuse you with mixed signals about your expenditure
One minute your parents are scolding you for spending money on food outside- when there is food at home, the next they are throwing shade at you for finishing the food they bought with their hard earned money. Other times, they complain that you never pitch in to cover bills at home, but when you actually do, they turn around and say that you have insulted or humiliated them, and they do not need your chicken change.
Basically, you do not know how best to spend your money around them, because you don’t know if you will be condemned or praised for it.

You get blamed and yelled at for everything that goes wrong in the house
You feel like Cinderella after her father passed, because the way you see it, your parents treat you worse than Lady Tremaine.

Aside from the fact that you are not allowed to say no to their whims, you are constantly yelled at, and blamed for any and everything that goes wrong in the house. Even when it is clear that you are not at fault or you have an alibi, the fault will still be linked to you… somehow.

You start to feel like your life is a struggle to exist without annoying your parents. After a while, you decide to operate on the low-key and make yourself scarce to avoid the incessant nagging, but then it becomes a big deal that you are always in your room ignoring and snubbing other members of the household.

Privacy in unattainable
You may have your own room, but it does not in any way guarantee any measure of privacy. Your parents and siblings do not bother to knock, they just barge in and let you know what is on their mind. Should you venture to lock your door, they will pound on it and ask you what you are hiding and why you feel the need to lock the door anyway.

They do not hesitate to enter and search your room when you are away. Worse is when you finally have a visitor. Rather than leave you and your guest to the living room, you parents or siblings will choose that very moment to watch their favorite show in the living room as well.

You have to share everything
You cannot buy anything for just yourself anymore. Doing so will make you look ungrateful and greedy. If you feel like ordering Dominos pizza, you will have to order the large box, so that you can offer to you parents, siblings and house helps some slices. If you go for a party, an event or short trip, you have to bring back something for the house. Your mother uses Armani ‘Idole’, but the moment she smells Gucci ‘Envy Me’ on you, she decides she is in love with it and now comes to your room to spray it before going out every day.
“Obinna, please ‘borrow’ me your phone let me quickly call your sister” and 1 hour 15 minutes later, when your credit has run out, you are handed back your phone.

You still do not save as much as you thought you would
The idea behind moving back to your parents’ is so that you can save enough money to rent a nice place and probably get a car. Two years later, your account is still in the same state as it was before you moved in. You realize the living in your parents’ home has done more harm than good. You actually spend more (on yourself and family) because you feel more secure and basically, you have become a little spoilt…you indulge more.
You keep procrastinating too, because…who wants to go through the stress of moving out?

Do you relate with any of these struggles? Do you have more to share?

Source: Bellanaija

By: Nkem Ndem

by
Keep Reading
In Uncategorized By

Nigerian-born Tobechukwu Phillips shatters American school’s 125-year academic history

A Nigerian-born teenager, Tobechukwu Phillips has shattered the 125 academic history of her high school in Texas, US.

Phillips, a student of Alvin High School boasted a 6.9 GPA, after she earned A’s throughout her stay in the school. She emerged the first Black valedictorian in the school’s history.

Alvin High School was originally established in 1894. African-American students were allowed to join the school in 1965.

Speaking to Because of Them We Can, Phillips said, “Maintaining the highest GPA in my class is a difficult task. It truly takes time management but more importantly acknowledging what you do it for. I know that I am no longer just representing myself.”

Phillips had a word of advice for other students.  She said, “My biggest advice to other scholars of colour is to truly adopt the mindset of Rosa Parks — ‘No.’ Do not conform to the stereotypes that have held us under thumbs for so long,” she explained. “Do not be discouraged when someone speaks out against you, simply allow what they say to fuel your fire. But more than anything, do not remain tight-lipped. Stand up for what you believe in and take it upon yourself to be the change you’ve always wanted. Say ‘No’ to the ways of the world and stick out.”

Phillips will attend the Nursing School at the University of Texas on full scholarship later in the year. Her plan is to one day own her own clinic as a pediatric nurse practitioner.

by
Keep Reading
In Inspiration By

“Let me be clear we are failing women and girls” – Toyin Saraki

Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki is a Nigerian philanthropist with two decades of advocacy, and she has expressed her displeasure about the state of things with the security of women in the country.

“This year marked the start of the United Nations’ Decade of Delivery, where we were promised that things would change for the empowerment of women and girls. Armed with research to prove how much better off our world would be with the rights of women and girls realised, we in the global advocacy community declared that it is well past time to start living in a gender equal reality,” she wrote.

“But instead of keeping our promise to protect and empower women and girls, in Nigeria in 2020, we are still burying them,” she continued.

Mrs Saraki who is the Global Goodwill Ambassador for World Midwives, on the rape cases wrote, “But with the heartless, thoughtless violent deaths of Uwa and Tina it is clear that we have thus far failed to engage leaders and policymakers to implement meaningful mechanisms to protect them.”

With a strong passion for leadership, Mrs Saraki noted her involvement with gender and promotion of a safe environment for women, “Last year I was honoured to join the International Conference on Population and Development, full of hope to deepen Nigeria’s consultations on gender. I called to build political commitment from leaders and policymakers to speak out, condemning violence against women.

“At the Commonwealth of Nations last year, we made a promise of No More Violence, yet, here we are, from our leaders, and right down to our grassroots, failing women and girls. Frankly, I am outraged. The gruesome deaths of Uwa and Tina are a visceral notice of our failure in Nigeria, and that’s why I am joining the WACOL Tamar SARC and Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation to call for radical reform of our police, to end the impunity of sexual violence against women and girls. In the name of all our global and national commitments to women and girls, the Nigerian state must make systemic changes to protect our young girls. Uwa and Tina’s lives will not be lost in vain,” she wrote.

To read her full heartfelt article, click her website here

by
Keep Reading
In Inspiration By

Okonjo-Iweala Gets Nominated as DG World Trade Organizations

by
Keep Reading
In Inspiration By

WHO, UNICEF Urge Mothers To Continue Breastfeeding Despite Covid-19 Fears

The World Health Organisation and its sister agency, UNICEF, have encouraged women to continue to breastfeed during the pandemic, even if they have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection. According to them, active COVID-19 virus has not, to date, been detected in the breast milk of any mother with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

On Wednesday, the UN Agency, released a statement via its website saying that COVID-19 would not be likely transmitted through breastfeeding due yo evidence

According to WHO, UNICEF, and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) countries are not properly stopping the harmful promotion of breast-milk substitutes. They noted that most companies are beginning to take advantage of the pandemic to push their products to the market and that breastfeeding is under threat.

“The numerous benefits of breastfeeding substantially outweigh the potential risks of illness associated with the virus,” the authors find.

Breast milk saves children’s lives by providing antibodies that give them a healthy boost and protect them against many childhood illnesses.

Some female patients had due to fear stopped breastfeeding which resulted in the use of breast milk substitutes.

Breast milk is the only accepted food recommended for infants for the first six months of their lives.

The agencies lamented that breastfeeding is under threat as health systems are stretched thin.

WHO also said the pandemic is having a negative effect on the health care services aimed at supporting mothers to breastfeed, including counselling and skilled lactation.

The Agencies have called on governments to urgently strengthen the legislation on the ban of all breast milk substitutes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including donations of breast milk substitutes in emergency situations.

The Code bans all forms of breast-milk substitutes promotion, including advertising, gifts to health workers and distribution of free samples. Labels must carry messages about the superiority of breastfeeding over formula and the risks of not breastfeeding.

There were some guidelines released for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 mothers who want to breastfeed their babies were also released. They include:

  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub especially before touching the baby;
  • Always wear a medical mask during any contact with the baby, including while feeding;
  • Sneeze or cough into a tissue. Then dispose immediately and wash hands again;
  • Regularly cean and disinfect surfaces after touching them.

Mothers are to follow the prevention measures listed, and should continue breastfeeding.

Reference: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/coronavirus/394992-who-unicef-urge-mothers-to-sustain-breastfeeding-despite-covid-19-fears.html

by
Keep Reading
In Inspiration By

#RubyGirls| “If You Don’t Fail Sometimes, How Will You Know What You’re Not Doing Right” – Ejiro Agambi

Ejiro Agambi, a graduate of Computer Science from Lagos State University, is a vibrant and an enterprising Nigerian committed to adding value and creating job opportunities.

She’s the Founder of JEOVIL GROUP which houses one of Nigeria’s leading cleaning companies; Jeovil Cleaning and Maintenance Services, LuxuryVox (The Gift Company) and other brands.

A 2019 SME100 Africa, 25under25 Awardee for professional service, an Alumnus of the U.S Exchange Program- Academy for Women Entrepreneurs.

Ejiro Agambi

1. Let’s meet you. Who is Ejiro

I am Ejiro Agambi, an enterprising Nigerian, committed to adding value and creating job opportunities.

My company is a market leader in the provision of detailed cleaning service for residential, commercial and industrial needs.

 

2. Your hobbies?

Singing, Reading & Graphic designing/ UX/UI

3. Mention three women who inspire you and why

The world is full of inspiring women to study and learn from. But, on a more personal level, I can attest that studying and learning from various great women in history has helped to shape who I am and becoming. They have informed the kind of leader I want to be as a CEO/as an individual as well as the kind of mother I want to be to my future children.

As asked, here are just three examples of the women who have made me the businesswoman and individual I am today.

(1) My mother (Dcns.Mrs.Evelyn Agambi)
She’s a teacher, leader and a business woman. I watched her influence her students, colleagues, women group members, customers and even her neigbours at her place of business simply by the way she carried herself, honour God, and with how hard she worked to solve and think through the problems of others.
She taught me, in this way, what it looks like to be a peoples’ person. How helping others solve problems requires thinking empathetically alongside them so as to truly understand what they’re going through and think about the problem from “their level.”
Thanks to her, I now know that being a real leader requires more than intelligence, ability, or even the capacity to inspire. It requires time, care, genuine concern and God’s grace .

Mrs Ibukun Blessing Awosika and Mrs Tara Fela Durotoye. They both have some ‘similarities’ role models worthy of emulation, they are an inspiration to thousands of women, young and old all around the world from them who have learnt how to effectively balance career, family and spirituality.

4. Your biggest fear?

Failure

5. When was JEOVIL GROUP birthed and what inspired you to start a cleaning company?

Jeovil Group was birthed few years ago. I notice details a lot and sometimes when I visit friends and relatives, I end up helping them to organize and clean their spaces, so I said to my self ‘why don’t I let other people know what it feels like to have an excellently cleaned space?’

6. As an award-winning entrepreneur with with a company that is a market leader in the provision of cleaning service, what has been the major challenge(s) so far?

Major challenges are finance, some contract staff ‘janitors’ disappointing at times, not meeting deadline, not being able to get the kind of high quality cleaning equipment I want but this has resulted to us birthing a Cleaning Equipment, Supply and Hygiene brand which will be launching soon.

7. You have divisions in Lagos, Abuja and most recently in Accra, how do you deal with the demands of operating in different areas and another country and what makes your brand unique?

By the grace of God, we’ve put in place proper structures to enable us handle operations in our different locations effectively. We are unique because our focus is EXCELLENCE and we do not deliver less. We are very detailed and I mean detailed to the core.

8. You are a graduate of Computer Science from Lagos State University. Any plans to venture into tech in the nearest future?

Definitely.

9. If given the chance to be the President of Nigeria for a day, what will you change?

Ohh… there’s a lot to change! From insecurity to electricity to the rules that govern businesses in Nigeria.

10. Luxury Vox is a gift company under JEOVIL GROUP alongside other brands with several awards to your credit, where do you see the group and your brands in the next five years?

I look forward to Jeovil being an household name across Africa and to provide more jobs in the next 5 years.

11. Favourite quote

My favorite quote is “ When you fail to plan , you plan to fail” there’s a lot to this quote, PREPARATION IS IMPORTANT.

12. What keeps you up at night?

(Giggles) I sleep at night.

13. If you were given the opportunity to address a group of girls five years younger than you, what will be your advice to them?

Don’t be too hard on your self, take things one step at a time, draw closer to God, have direction, have a picture of what you want in life, what you want to be.
Turn your goals into prayer requests, strive to develop your self physically, mentally, emotionally and academically. Grow without seeing failure as the end of the world, because failure is a stepping stone to success, I mean if you don’t fail sometimes how will you know what you’re not doing right? No one is perfect, we are bound to be failures sometimes and it’s okay but don’t dwell on it, glean every lesson you can from that experience, and move ahead. Lastly, remember to stay humble and consistent.

 

 

by
Keep Reading
In Inspiration By

#NotInMyChurch: Busola Dakolo is not Giving Up on the Fight for Justice

According to her, after the Police concluded their investigation, the report has been handed over to the Ministry of Justice in Abuja for onward prosecution of Biodun Fatoyinbo but there has been silence from the Ministry.

Busola also explained that a letter they wrote has gone unanswered, with stories of manipulation. But a woman resolute in her determination cannot be stopped. The letter below;

She says, “Instead, my lawyers and my family have heard about all manner of manipulation and foul play being attempted to stop the ministry from beginning prosecution immediately.
Or even to get the police report manipulated.”

Read her post below.

It is now officially one year after since I came out and told the most important story of my life up until this point. That when I was a teenager, Biodun Fatoyinbo violently raped me. It wasn’t just me. In the media, on social platforms and in private, women have been sharing stories of how this man either destroyed their lives or tried to.

A lot has happened in that time: and my heart is glad that consciousness continues to be raised about the great evil that sexual abuse is, and how widespread it is, and how much women are at risk, and why we need to ensure justice for those who find the strength to speak out.

Awareness is victory. But we are pushing to another even great victory: Justice.
When the courts last year decided to rule in favour of the man who assaulted me, people were crestfallen. I understood.
What they didn’t know however is that before we even began, we had been prepared for a long haul battle that may take years because the Nigerian legal system isn’t wired to help sexual abuse victims get justice.

Today, I have a major update. The police has concluded its investigation. And handed over its report to the Ministry of Justice in Abuja for onward prosecution of Biodun Fatoyinbo. He clearly has a case to answer.
But there has been silence from the ministry. Silence. A loud silence!

We have written a letter but for over a month we have no response.

Instead, my lawyers and my family have heard about all manner of manipulation and foul play being attempted to stop the ministry from beginning prosecution immediately.
Or even to get the police report manipulated.

My name is Busola Dakolo, a survivor of one of the most horrific acts -rape. My voice will not be shut down. My case will not be silenced. I am thankful to those in and out of the police, the ministry and the corridors of power who have called in solidarity and to reassure me that they are monitoring the ministry of justice and that this pressure to bury the case will not succeed.
I am updating the Nigerian public because you all made my story matter. You joined me to say enough is enough. With you, this has been an easier process.
#wearetired
#notinmychurch
#justice

Photosource: @busoladakolo

 

 

by
Keep Reading
In Inspiration By

A single mom recounts her story of patience and hardwork, now she owns her own home

Akilah Moore is a single mother who has been through life’s struggles alone, and has simply managed to pull her way up to growth. Ms Akilah who is from Washington DC, in the US, lost both parents at a young age,

She dropped out of high school after she got pregnant, and the father of the child left, leaving her with nobody to turn to.

“I dropped out of high school when I had my first child. The father didn’t stick around so I had to take care of my child by myself.

Now a Security Officer Howard University Middle School of Math & Science, she narrated her story which was shared in Unsung Heroes.

“I worked in every type of job just so I could provide. I worked at produce places inside of deep freezers, and I cleaned toilets. All of those jobs never lasted more than 5-6 months. It was frustrating, especially because I had to depend on the government. I had $300 a month to travel back and forth with 3 kids.”

“My parents died when I was young so I didn’t have anyone to fall back on. One day, I decided that enough is enough. It took me a lot of courage to go back to high school. I was embarrassed but my child kept me focused and motivated. It’s amazing how much my life has changed since I decided to take that extra step and get my education. I’m getting my life together and providing for my kids. I own a 5 bedroom house, my kids are doing well in school, and I’m healthy.”

With her inspirational story, it goes to show how hardwork and not giving up pulls off.

by
Keep Reading

©2025. WomenofRubies. All Rights Reserved.