I work with an ActionAid International coordinating a project on violence against women in humanitarian emergencies. This project is implemented in Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Sierra Leone, and involves ActionAid’s partners as well as other local and international groups, the United Nations, and governments who have committed to addressing violence in these contexts. I define and identify myself as a feminist because I believe in the struggle for recognition, respect and implementation of the rights of women. I enjoy working with women and for women to ensure that they benefit in whatever space I am able to influence. Feminist thinking encourages solidarity, which is something that I have been able to apply and believe in. Solidarity from other feminists has strengthened my confidence in dealing with the challenges I encounter in my everyday life as a feminist. I believe there is no equality and development without appreciating women. I am in the struggle for women’s rights and working with other women to achieve this. I am proud to be identified as a feminist and I am determined to make a difference in the lives of women! Living and interacting with the wider society, feminists in Africa still face the challenge of acceptance in private and public spaces. One has to be strong and confident to be able to deal with the odds and challenges. At the household level, feminists still have to deal with partners and spouses who don’t believe in women’s rights because they have been socialised as patriarchs since their childhood. At work, feminists are often met with opposition, particularly when an organisation has decided either to ignore gender equality or to work in a more “neutral” way through gender mainstreaming. There is a new wave of thinking in gender work around male involvement. It is my belief that this dilutes the women’s agenda and promotes integrated approaches that comprise the status and reduce the focus on women. Unfortunately, most organisational cultures don’t provide conducive spaces for feminists to practice and build the feminist movement. Making the personal political is the main challenge. We have to make change happen in the different spaces. I am always reinvigorated when I see transformation in women’s lives for the positive; especially for those who have been through difficult circumstances but are getting independent and moving on. My own mother was determined to ensure that my sisters and I grew up to be independent as women, and made many sacrifices for it along the way. Her words and efforts are a constant reminder to me that I can make it happen as a woman. Working with women of all races and backgrounds has made me realise that more often than not we have the same issues and challenges, and that we need to be persistent and consistent in our struggle for recognition and change. I know that in my own little and sometimes big ways, I make a contribution.