Books are meant to educate, inform, and entertain us. However, those that change our lives are treasures that ought to be passed from one generation to the next.
And The Moment of Lift is one such book that will change the lives of many- young and old, female and male, rich and poor, black and white for many generations to come.
In The Moment of Lift, Melinda Gates tells stories of women and girls that she met in her philanthropic work across the world- where she allows and afford them a platform to voice their struggles to the world in a manner that they have never been heard before.
Now, let me admit that before reading this book, I had my own reservations about the works of Melinda and her family Foundation, especially here in the African continent- given that they have been a lot of talks about how the Foundation exploit the conditions of our poor people for its own financial gains.
However, perusing through the pages of this book my attitude about the work of the Foundation instantly changed when I realized how the Foundation not only inculcated a culture where African men in deeply traditional communities now see their wives as their equal partners, but a culture where women have the autonomy to decide whether and when to have children- and that is through the contraceptive programmes that Melinda herself has been advocating in the continent.
Many women, especially black women will relate to the stories inside this book, as these are some of the societal ills that many are still facing in their communities, workplaces, and in their marriages.
As a man, perusing through the pages of this book, I found myself questioning my allyship to the project of building an equal society. Because it must own duty to always fight my own unearned male privilege if I want to play my role in the building of an equal society.
The Moment of Lift is timely, important and will change the attitude and behaviours of many of us.
This is a book that should be part of our tools in building an equal society.
I like how Melinda acknowledges the stories of these women and girls in the book, and never for one minute tried to inside herself in their stories.
To a stay-at-home mom, a single mother, sex worker, exploited female employee, rape survivor, ambitious young girl, this is a book that celebrates and recognizes you. To an abusive husband, traditionalist husband, and rapist young men, this is a book that will help you change your evil ways and become a good human being.