Hi everyone, hope you are doing well. 

Like the title says I was invited to speak at the event organised by ImpactHER in Yaounde on the 11th of March 2023. 

First of all the event took place the day after my birthday! Do I need to tell you that I spent my birthday preparing for this event and stressing out because it was my first public speaking engagement? LOL!

To get myself ready I prepared my presentation and did my hair. I even did my nails - a decision I made while at the saloon. My hairdresser got me when she said she'll do something simple and nice within my budget just to make my nails look nice. After I imagined holding the microphone with rusty nails I fell for it. Lol.

I was so nervous about speaking so to build my confidence I made notes for and practised my presentation, I tried stress relieving techniques like calming deep breaths and going jogging that morning, accepting the worse thing that could happen during the presentation, and accepting and letting the encouragement from my loved ones sink in. 

I finally decided on what to wear on the morning of the event. I won't lie that I have so many clothes in my wardrobe but nothing to wear. I haven't worn most of my clothes in more than four years because of pregnancy and my postpartum body so dressing up is a bit of a challenge for me. But is settled for this dress tailored for a wedding I attended last year. 

I got to the event on time but it took me some time to find the venue. Thankfully I didn't wear my heels from home because my feet would have hurt. The ladies attending are entrepreneurs and some of them showcased their products which were interesting to see.

I was the first speaker of the day and I delivered my talk quite well. I didn't read from my notes as planned and that felt like a big win for me.

I enjoyed speaking at this event because I love empowering women. Women are builders of a lot of businesses today and it is vital to give them the tools to excel. Social media being one of the most popular forms of technology to this day is a great tool for them. That's why this year's theme for the International Women's day feels right. "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality"

In relation to this, ImpactHER organised this event to celebrate women with the theme; "Beyond the norm: Promoting innovation as a female entrepreneur" to help these women do better in their businesses. 

I also learnt a lot from the stories shared by these women about their journeys and I look forward to more opportunities like this.

Well, don't worry. You're not alone.

As women, we're so used to being told that we can do anything ourselves that when people tell us that we need a man in our lives, we just think they're being sexist or trying to undermine us or whatever. But actually, it's totally true: all women need men in their lives. It's just that no one wants to admit it because it sounds like "you need a man to make you complete." But what I mean by "man" is not necessarily a particular type of man—it could be your dad or brother or best friend. It's just someone who can help you get through happy or tough times and make sure everything is okay.

The idea of being an independent lady without needing a man is a powerful one. But is it really true that women don't need men? I mean to be involved romantically with someone. The answer to this question depends on each individual woman's circumstances and values. While some women may be able to live happily and successfully without relying on a man for financial or emotional support, others may find that having a partner can improve their quality of life in meaningful ways. It's important to remember that no matter what your situation, there is no right or wrong answer to this question - only the answer that works best for you.

So when a woman says she doesn't need a man she's not proving tough and when she says she does need a man she's not weak. They are just being human.