I'd have liked to know more about Beth's background. I would also like to know the exact nature of her achievements, and something about her person. What is Carol's absolutely astounding project? The question-answer format of the article leads to generalisations that are not very enlightening for the reader.
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| Inspirational Women: Beth Nosizwe Vale |
| Written by Kayla Roux |
| Thursday, 12 August 2010 13:45 |
 As part of our focus on women during Women's Month, we have asked readers and contributors to let us know about inspirational and influential women they know in their communities. Here Kayla Roux introduces us to Beth Nosizwe Vale, a student and activist from Grahamstown.
Beth Nosizwe Vale, a Philosophy student at Rhodes University, is not content with the minimally involved approach to social issues such as HIV/AIDS and gender inequality taken by most students. She is a passionate activist geared towards making a difference in the world. How did you get into your chosen direction of community involvement? I have always been very politically aware. That is the nature of the family I grew up in. I also have a very close friend living with HIV and his experience has affected me greatly. After joining the Student HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign (SHARC), I became increasingly involved in student activism -from HIV/AIDS to gender to urban unemployment. In 2007, I was elected president and served as chair for two years. This also gave me an opportunity to chair the Societies Council. My passion for what I do just grew over time I guess. What do you love most about your current community projects? It is incredible fulfilling and you learn the possibilities are endless if you just work together. What impact do women have in your field? An incredible impact. SHARC has always been run by women, our peer educators are mostly women and our membership is dominated by women. And while it is fantastic for women to be so strongly involved in HIV/AIDS work, we really need men to get on board too. What challenges do you feel women face as leaders in the community? Women in the workplace face many of the same challenges that all women face – all too often being treated as a sexual object, and I know there are still a lot of women who struggle to be taken seriously by their male co-workers. I haven’t had any of those problems in my line of work though. Men have mostly been incredible supportive. You have to demand respect. Does any particular woman stand out to you as a brilliant leader? Why? Carol of the Keiskamma Trust in Hamburg. She has been the catalyst for an absolutely astounding AIDS/poverty alleviation project that really empowers women. Her creativity and her genuine interest in people’s lives is very admirable. What unique value do you think a woman brings to the community? Given that I don’t think there is any quality that all women possess, this is difficult to answer. But they do all have a common experience of being in a women’s body, which has all kinds of ramifications, especially in a patriarchal society. What advice would you give someone starting out in their life/career? Think big. Work exceptionally hard. Surround yourself with people that inspire you. What has been the hardest lesson you have learnt in your community engagement and activities? That you can’t please everyone, no matter how hard you try. And that the struggle is far from over. What is the secret of your success? Very hard work, passion for what I do, fresh ideas and a fantastic support structure.
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