She is a woman, it is what is!

Savanna Mahlanganise

On the outside, she looks like she has it all together. She wakes up early, prepares meals, shows up for work, checks on everyone, and somehow keeps going. People admire her strength. They call her resilient. But what they don’t see are the quiet moments,the ones where she feels overwhelmed, tired, and alone. In many Zimbabwean and African communities, women are raised to endure. From a young age, she is taught to be patient, to be strong, to carry others before herself. So she learns to silence her emotions. When life becomes heavy, she does not always speak,she copes.

Her journey is often shaped by expectations. There is pressure to succeed, to marry, to maintain relationships, even when they are unhealthy. Some women carry the weight of emotional pain or gender-based violence, yet continue to show up every day because “that’s what strong women do.”

For some, the story deepens with motherhood. It may begin with the painful silence of trying to conceive, where blame quietly finds its way to her. If she becomes pregnant, the joy is often mixed with worry about money, about support, about the future. For the woman walking this journey alone, every preparation for the baby comes with the question: Will I manage?

Then the baby arrives. “Makorokoto,” they say, meaning, “congratulations”. Smiles, visits, celebrations. But soon, the noise fades. The focus shifts to the child, and she is left to recover, adjust, and figure things out. She is tired, sometimes anxious, sometimes unsure but no one really asks. She is expected to know what to do, to nurture, to cope. As the child grows, so do her worries. She thinks about school fees, safety, and the kind of future her child will have. These thoughts sit quietly in her mind, often unspoken, because not everyone understands the depth of that responsibility especially for single mothers.

There was a time when aunts, grandmothers, and extended family would step in, offering guidance and support. Today, many women walk this journey with less help, carrying more on their own.

And still, she keeps going.

But perhaps it is time we begin to see her differently, not just as strong, but as human. A woman who also needs support, rest, and understanding. Conversations around mental health must become part of our everyday lives. We must learn to ask, to listen, and to care.

Because behind every strong woman is a story that deserves to be heard.