Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Eliza Chanika

There she goes, A woman of  purpose
Early as a bird, she rises to till the ground
Her fields smile with the different crops she grows
Soybeans, maize, rice, cabbages, sweet potatoes, tomatoes sometimes
She produces enough to feed, and even more to spare
Her family swims in the lake of nutritious food
The smooth, shiny, eye-catching bodies of her family agree
Like a fish in water, her family takes pride in her
A woman of purpose

There she goes, a woman of vision
A lioness she is an eagle, she aims
Like a spider, she enlarges her income sources
She sold her ears to knowledge and gave her eyes to entrepreneurship
farm production, clothes, shoes and cosmetics selling she schedules
A little sleep, a little slumber so will poverty sit with her she knows
She invests her money in Village savings and loan
She built her house, she motivates her children and sends them to school
Wise like an ant she is,
a woman of vision

Her heart is golden
Like a dove, she is gentle
She relates, she understands and she gives hope
She lends her arms to the needy
Her beautiful scent hovers in the community
She is a woman, she has a name
blessed is her family and community
Meet Mrs Madeya!

The “Golden Woman” is a poem written out of observation of a hard-working woman in the community, Mrs. Madeya. I met this woman at the local women’s group and what she does caught my attention and inspired this poem. Mrs. Madeya is a woman distinct from her peers in the community. Her family never lacks, she is involved in farming different types of crops and businesses. She is also in several women groups where they sharpen women’s lives by sharing different tips on entrepreneurship, home and food management, health and hygiene among others. She also indulges in village savings bank where she invests her money for future use. This poem illustrates her life style and hardworking spirit in summary.