"I went through hell and back, but I can now can be responsible for changing the life of somebody so they don't have to go through what I went through."

"If you were looking for me, the basketball court is where you would find me."

"The politics around it is plenty. Gender bias exists and being sidelined happens. However, none of this is reason enough to abandon your passion. Rather it must fuel you to push harder."

"Your strength as a female is undermined and not praised enough, but I come to tell you that your strength will get you to the endline and beyond. Believe in it, believe in yourself, do not lose yourself now. Stay, be patient, shut your ears and put in the work."

"I kept on going back every weekend after that game because I enjoyed being able to provide a platform for fair play."

"My advice to you is to enter into officiating knowing that you have to dedicate time to your growth, be committed to learning new things, and watching competitions. The most important element which I often struggle with is confidence."

"I cannot stress this enough, no one wants a referee who doubts themselves and looks unsure on the court. They won’t have confidence in your abilities, therefore be confident on the court, fake it if you have to, and never look weak."

"It shows me that when I take a stand in life, people are going to stop and listen to me. I shouldn't just let them walk all over me; I should have a whistle in life, to stop the whole commotion around me and make my call on what's going to happen next."

"I did not know we were refugees until I got to junior secondary school."

"I would let them know that the road may be long and tough, but at the end of it all, it is more than worth it. I would let them know that they have to just be true to themselves and set a goal for where they want to get to if the playing field was levelled. After they imagine that, they should put in the effort and do what they can to make it happen."

"I believe women athletes deserve equal media coverage to their male counterparts. Our stories should be told—not just stories of struggle but also of success and achievement. This would inspire others and show them that they too can reach the top."

"In Botswana, there was one memorable day when the entire back page of the sports section featured only female athletes: a field athlete, a referee, and an administrator. This deliberate choice made us visible and celebrated our achievements. They were celebrating our achievements.I believe any young girl or woman who saw that could envision herself in those roles."

"We need more women involved in various capacities within the sports industry. This not only helps us perform at our best but also reinforces that we belong. It reduces the need to fight as hard as we once did for acknowledgment and recognition."

"Media should avoid sexualising female athletes and focus on their talent rather than their appearance or how they are dressed. Representation should highlight what we contribute to our sport."

"I want African girls to know and believe that they can achieve success even in fields where they don’t see others who look like them. They can step in and pave the way for many other girls to follow."

"We are trying to change mindsets in the country by showing practically that women can be in business in the agricultural sector and, importantly, can succeed."

"I learned that what you grow or tend to religiously will bear results... and that making money depends on the quality of your product."

"We believe that communities should tap on the resources around them to solve their everyday lives as well as grow their economies, through our work"

"The vison for Chabana Farms is to not only provide food for the nation but to empower individuals in the community. We want to turn Chabana Farms into a well-known brand, both locally and internationally."

"I would say to the youth out there to just go and do it. There are so many new techniques and platforms to use in terms of technology, so you can take advantage of your knowledge in this space and start farming. Go into agriculture as a business. We are trying to make this sector funky for young people to consider as a career path too."

"To be a woman farmer is challenging because, firstly, not many women are farming commercially."

"My words of encouragement are that they should not give up. No matter how long the road might seem, if you just persevere, it will all work out."

"Education is very important. Education in the sense that, you have to study whatever it is that you love so that you could do it to your best ability with more knowledge."

"Representation and diversity are crucial in the music industry. When we see artists from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives, it inspires us to think outside of our own experiences and to see the world from new angles."

"Music can also be used to inspire and empower women and girls and to challenge societal norms and stereotypes about gender roles and expectations. Songs that celebrate the strength and resilience of women...are aimed at being incredibly empowering for women and girls who may be struggling with their own self-esteem or facing discrimination and inequality."

"With hard work and perseverance, it is possible to achieve success and make a positive impact on the industry and the world at large."

"I believe that music has the power to heal, inspire, and uplift people, and I want my music to do just that."

"I believe that we all have a journey of self-discovery that we must go through, and my music reflects this journey."

"I started singing since my consciousness, and I haven’t stopped since, it has always been my way of expressing myself."

"Patience is important, take time with your craft and don’t be afraid to start over and over again if you are not satisfied with what you’ve written. It’s important to balance the external pressure so you don’t end up rushing yourself."

"Rehearsals help to cultivate the potential in you and they help you to become a better musician or a better songwriter."

"Not all of us are gifted in the academia scene and not all of us are good at doing the main subjects such as science and math, but everyone is gifted one way or another, so if you’re a musician take music classes to increase the knowledge that you have right now and improve the quality of your work. But never stop learning."

"There is a big part for me, as a woman, to play."

"The Press treated their marriage as front-page news. Here, flouting all the dangers he knew to be implicit in [inter-racial marriage], was the scion of the ancient and illustrious House of Khama...And here, seeking to be an African queen, was an English working girl who had been reared to expect nothing more exotic than a semi-detached house in one of London’s great dormitories and a husband who every morning would don his bowler hat, seize his umbrella and catch a red double-decker bus to the city."

"I travel to Britain and Switzerland as part of my charity work for the Red Cross, but I have no desire to go anywhere else... My home is here... When I came to this country I became a Motswana."

"We ask for bread and you give us stones."

"82% of pregnant women in Africa really that is the biggest entry point especially for Women in the Reproductive age groups."

"“I left the settlement feeling that I had to do something for them and others in the same situation.”"

"“I am very grateful for my education and for the chance to give to my country.”"

"The International Workshop on HIV & Women has now completed its 10th year and continues to evolve. It is an outstanding opportunity for health care providers, researchers, government, industry, and community representatives to discuss, debate, and further their knowledge on the issues related to HIV and women."

"After months of feeling deprived of expressing my creativity while I was studying for my accounting degree, I just decided to START! I decided to start where I was, with what I had and who I had."

"I’ve had my fair share of severe depression and anxiety a few years ago which has had an impact on my life. This experience taught me the value of self-love and self-care which I continue to grow in."

"Rea Kopi Opens Up About How She Has Struggled With Depression (12 November 2020)"

"I would advise young girls to build a strong relationship with their intuition and become its best friend because that is what keeps you reassured at every step of the way. Identify what your inner critic says to you and learn how to cut it out because that is usually what stops us from making moves. Don’t be afraid to fail, also don’t do mediocre work, take yourself seriously because people treat you how you treat yourself. And lastly, believe in abundance, because nothing is out of reach; God made enough for everybody, so it’s up to you to find where your bread is."

"I always find solutions to problems that I have with slow pace systems in our country and society in general."

"I have always been someone with a wandering mind."

"I build innovation models just from being annoyed by waiting in line for something that I don’t believe I should be waiting for."