Scheaffer Okore

"I am deeply grateful, honoured and humbled to be one of ten phenomenon world leaders chosen to serve as GoalKeepers Advisory Board at Gates Foundation."

"Pan Africanism was essentially supposed to strengthen the bond among African people and create unity. However, how are people supposed to unite if women aren’t yet seen as fully people/humans? This means, even on a continental level, women are still very intentionally made vulnerable and heavily marginalized. Female politicians must come to the understanding that Pan Africanism cannot be fully achieved in dominant patriarchal spaces. Dismantling the patriarchy and its complex power matrix is something they should all be very keen on because its hindrances are too grave."

"My major backlash was the constant rejection because the world labelled me disruptive and at some point, in my life I felt so alone because of it. This is why it’s vital to have human anchors; it’s easy to sink and lose focus hence my commitment to anchor other women today fighting the fight. I’ve learnt to pick my fights and not everything is worth a response or a reaction."

"Feminism gave my work a lot of clarity, grounding and purpose. I knew I always wanted to be a voice for the many injustices around me that were happening without anyone saying much about it. So, I set out to say it and feminism made me realize I wasn’t insane for wanting to speak. It affirmed me. My work at Ukweli Party is centered on building a political institution that doesn’t downplay the role of women in politics, harnessing the scattered voices of women and becoming actual alternatives."