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Her Story
Lived experience, told in the first person.

Strange, Me Thinks...

How This Young Woman Living With Sickle Cell Disease Is Helping Countless Others
Not only has she dealt with debilitating pain all her life, she has lost numerous friends along the way. Now, she’s using her voice to speak up for many who are still trying to find their own voice. Her pain is unbearable on most days, but she is determined to continue touching the lives of those living with sickle cell disease. Jesscah Sharon Odhiambo was diagnosed with sickle

Life is All About Perspective

What I Wish the Younger Me Knew About Acceptance
Over the years, I’ve struggled with acceptance. I’ve always waited for someone...anyone to say to me, “I accept you with all your flaws and shortcomings; I accept you as you are.” I’ve wanted to hear those words ever since I was a little girl. I wish I could have told you that as a grown woman, I no longer crave those words, but that would be a lie. My heart still yearns for to

How to Support a Loved One Battling Depression from Someone Who Has Lived Through it
Following a series of traumatic events, she struggled to understand what was going on with her. Sure, she had experienced low moments in the past, but this time was different. This time she couldn’t shake the feeling of despair. And each day she plunged further and further into a hole so dark and deep she couldn’t find her way out.

It's OK to Let Others Shine

Hard Places
Location: Western Cape - Rocky Mountains

Where Clouds Meet the Sun

In-depth Story: Cindel Hollancid – Going for the Crown
Every time she saw a modelling ad in the paper or on a billboard, her heart skipped a beat. The excitement, however, was always short-lived. After years of disappointment, an opportunity with her name written all over it fell into her lap one Saturday evening. This was more than just a pageant…it was an invitation to begin peeling away layers of insecurities that had left her b

Bunches of 'Nobodies'

TWSC Submission: The Day I Decided to Stop Protecting my Abuser
The following account was narrated to The Weight She Carries' contributor Ivy Chibanda. Shame, guilt and hatred is what I felt. It had been three years since he had started abusing me, but I never spoke out. I kept it inside. Given the circumstances, I felt I had more to lose if I reported my boss. I would lose my job, and my relationship with my relatives would be strained. I
