Malebogo Molefhe

Malebogo Molefhe (born c. 1980) is a basketball player from Botswana who became an activist against gender based violence after being shot eight times. In 2017, she received an International Women Of Courage Award.

Quotes

Being able to open up teaches you so many fundamental values about yourself and also increases your confidence in looking out to the world, facing them and strengthening yourself.

It's very important that women realize they have great potential they can [reach] without depending on men for everything.
- https://www.teenvogue.com/story/i-was-shot-by-my-boyfriend Malebogo Molefhe of Botswana Honored For Gender-Based Violence Activism by Brittney McNamara [04/04/2017]

Our biggest downfall as women is, not reporting cases and/or dropping them when we should be letting the law take its course, this alone works against our fighting spirit for gender equality
- https://www.pressreader.com/botswana/botswana-guardian/20210813/281908776209243 This Was In Solidarity With South African Women's Month. Botswana Guardian [13/08/2021]

The fundamental question that we need to ask ourselves is today, What is that, that women have done to men that is so bad, that men cant forgive? It seems like there is so much rage that men are out for blood, what is the problem? Until we ask ourselves these undesirable tough questions, until we look deep within ourselves as individuals, as women and as men and introspect and allow all these stories that we share with you to be a reminder that no one is immune to violence.
Innocent lives are being lost, it is entirely up to us, each and every one of us to raise awareness in all ways possible because the future of our kids depend on it.
All these things happen because as a country, as individuals, we have lost the village, we have lost the community, we have lost that thing that used to hold us together, that thing that we call botho or humility. Women- we are slowly losing that thing that is the glue that used to hold us together, but that glue is not holding anymore. Young boys are left in a latch with no role models to look up to. The only way that they learn to express themselves is only to excat force nad be aggressive.
Gender based violence is for all that is why it is equally imperative to balance the conversations by involving men. Women cannot do it alone, because women do not beat themselves up, they do not kill themselves nor do they rape themselves. The have carried this fight for too long. They have cried, they have marched, they have partitioned, they have danced, they have screamed about the issue of GBV now its time that also you men hold each other accountable and help women fight this monster.
- Malebogo Molefhe: Malebogo Molefhe shares her inspiring story as Debswana commemorates International Women`s month.Youtube (16 March 2021). Retrieved 23 November 2021.
My Goal in Botswana is to see the life of young girl changed, is to see a brave girl who is courageous enough to walk out when they are in situation of violence.
I want to see a young girl who is educated and who is proud of themselves enough to say, "I did this" and they don't need any validation from anyone.
- Malebogo Molefhe, International Women of courage:Malebogo Molefe.Youtube (27 February 2018) Retrieved 24 November 2021.
To find myself in that bottomless pit took so much courage to rise.
I looked at my life and said, I can use my story to help women. If I don't tell my story, who else is going to do that?
Culturally, women are not allowed to speak out against their husbands. When they try to talk to them or voice their concerns, men become threatened. They don't really like it. So they take action.
I don't drown in self-pity. That is past now. Now I am the new me, in a wheelchair.
They have to look inside themselves and note what they want to do with their lives. If they know this, it will help them be vigilant about their own lives.
Walk out while they still have the chance. They may not have the same opportunity as me.
Women need education to open them up to the realization that abuse is prevalent and they need to find ways to overcome it.
The red flags had always been there. I just needed to have spotted the moment and left.
- taken from an interview with NPR, 31 March 2017

References