Empowering Women to Chase Their Dreams

The man said 'girls should not study' and yet he won everyone's hearts

"Girls should be encouraged to study," the speaker, a young girl, started her speech.

"Girls should not be encouraged to study!" A voice shot up from the audience.

With gasps of disbelief, everyone's wide eyes spun around, searching for the person who had the brazen boldness to utter such words. The person turned out to be an elderly man; he walked sprightly up to the stage and held the mike. A tense silence followed. Everyone waited with bated breath.

"I got my daughter enrolled in a medical college," he spoke without any preamble. "No female has ever had any formal education in our family. I told my daughter to become a doctor. She did become one. Yes. My daughter and I were heaped with praises and adorned with garlands; I was made an example of how a father should be!"

The crowd listened with rapt attention, though still trying to figure out where the man was headed.

The old man continued, "Yet, my daughter did not seem happy. Her interest was elsewhere. She was good in sketching and handcrafting, and wanted to something about it. I refused.  After all, my years of hard-earned money had been spent on my daughter for two letters: Dr. Also, what would my family say, what would society say…"

The man smiled humorously, "I made a decision. I ditched the society for good! I kicked out 'other people's opinions'! Now, after 3 years, I am the proud father of my daughter who is now an entrepreneur. Yes, her business is small. Yet, she is very happy!"  

The man concluded: "When I said, 'Girls should not be encouraged to study' what I meant was: just encouraging women to study what the others are studying is not education. Just pushing your daughter to acquire a high-sounding degree so that you can win the approval from society is foolhardy. Women empowerment is not about how you empower them with degrees the society finds attractive….but how you empower them to chase their own dreams…."

As the man walked back to his place, the only noise he could heard was of resounding claps