Uber impressive afro- soul singer Zonke Dikana chats to Sowetan LIVE about her dedication to woman empowerment through her singing and her involvement in the ZAZI campaign.
The beautiful 32 year old is known for her mature sound and well written lyrics that speak to the soul. Her talent landed her an opportunity to be the voice representing women through ZAZI.
In a short Q&A we indulge with Zonke, the celebration of women and their contribution to society.
1. What are the main issues affecting women lately?
Women are being violated and young girls aren’t protected. Society has just neglected these jewels.
2. What does Women’s Day mean to you?
It means we are celebrated by men, but by the same token we need to celebrate ourselves as woman. I want us to celebrate one another and support each other as women. This is an opportunity for us to start a movement as women to stand together as nation builders in moving towards a place where we as women are valued and protected. This should be a common practice in society and not only be a once off during Women's month.
3. What is Zazi?
Zazi is an Nguni word that translates to "know yourself". ZAZI is a new campaign aimed at Women and Girls, launched on 25th May 2013 under the leadership of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) Women’s Sector. The campaign encourages women and girls to draw on their inner strength, power, and self-confidence to know themselves and what they stand for in order to guide their decisions about their future.
4. How are you involved in the Zazi campaign?
I was approached to write, produce and compose the music, and to star in their video which was a pleasurable experience.
5. What does the music video say to the women?
The different scenes show various scenarios, that young girls go through in various socio-economic environments and helps address those issues and empowers young girls to take charge of their own life and make the right choices that’ll benefit them.
6. What message is Zazi trying to send to the women across Mzansi?
It’s trying to entrench self respect to our girls and how women should be treated, and taking a stand for their own lives. So I’m hoping that this campaign will get that message across, it’s also a fun way of learning about one’s self without sounding like you’re preaching.
7. How are you empowering women through the campaign?
As a musician and with the platform afforded to me I’m empowering them through music. The lyrics carry a really strong message for ladies to be firm in their lives. As a musician who has been given this opportunity, I feel I’m extremely blessed in a number of ways in highlighting issues that women and girls face on a daily basis.
8. How are you planning to celebrate Women’s Month?
It’ll be an extremely busy one for me. With so many Women’s Day events, I’ll be performing at a number of places. This inspires me a lot, because I get to share this inspirational day with women doing what I love and making them happy.
9. Growing to be the woman that you are now, who would you say played an influential role in your life?
Most definitely my mom, a woman who's very firm in her beliefs and firm in the way she raised us as her girls. She taught us to have a backbone, and not do anything that doesn’t feel right. She’s the one woman I draw my inspiration from in how I carry myself and how live my life currently.
10. Besides your mom, who do you see as your role model and why?
Apart from my mom, a lot of woman who have broken that stereotype in various careers like music production. All the women who have excelled in male dominated industries, those women are my full on role models.
11. As a woman what would you like to see happening to women as a unit?
It would make me genuinely happy to see women support one another instead of pulling away from each other, GENUINELY being the operative word.
Great song: Watch Zonke's music video, empowering women through Zazi
Follow Bongiwe on Twitter: @Bongirand2
'You've got the strength inside': Zonke
Uber impressive afro- soul singer Zonke Dikana chats to Sowetan LIVE about her dedication to woman empowerment through her singing and her involvement in the ZAZI campaign.
The beautiful 32 year old is known for her mature sound and well written lyrics that speak to the soul. Her talent landed her an opportunity to be the voice representing women through ZAZI.
In a short Q&A we indulge with Zonke, the celebration of women and their contribution to society.
1. What are the main issues affecting women lately?
Women are being violated and young girls aren’t protected. Society has just neglected these jewels.
2. What does Women’s Day mean to you?
It means we are celebrated by men, but by the same token we need to celebrate ourselves as woman. I want us to celebrate one another and support each other as women. This is an opportunity for us to start a movement as women to stand together as nation builders in moving towards a place where we as women are valued and protected. This should be a common practice in society and not only be a once off during Women's month.
3. What is Zazi?
Zazi is an Nguni word that translates to "know yourself". ZAZI is a new campaign aimed at Women and Girls, launched on 25th May 2013 under the leadership of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) Women’s Sector. The campaign encourages women and girls to draw on their inner strength, power, and self-confidence to know themselves and what they stand for in order to guide their decisions about their future.
4. How are you involved in the Zazi campaign?
I was approached to write, produce and compose the music, and to star in their video which was a pleasurable experience.
5. What does the music video say to the women?
The different scenes show various scenarios, that young girls go through in various socio-economic environments and helps address those issues and empowers young girls to take charge of their own life and make the right choices that’ll benefit them.
6. What message is Zazi trying to send to the women across Mzansi?
It’s trying to entrench self respect to our girls and how women should be treated, and taking a stand for their own lives. So I’m hoping that this campaign will get that message across, it’s also a fun way of learning about one’s self without sounding like you’re preaching.
7. How are you empowering women through the campaign?
As a musician and with the platform afforded to me I’m empowering them through music. The lyrics carry a really strong message for ladies to be firm in their lives. As a musician who has been given this opportunity, I feel I’m extremely blessed in a number of ways in highlighting issues that women and girls face on a daily basis.
8. How are you planning to celebrate Women’s Month?
It’ll be an extremely busy one for me. With so many Women’s Day events, I’ll be performing at a number of places. This inspires me a lot, because I get to share this inspirational day with women doing what I love and making them happy.
9. Growing to be the woman that you are now, who would you say played an influential role in your life?
Most definitely my mom, a woman who's very firm in her beliefs and firm in the way she raised us as her girls. She taught us to have a backbone, and not do anything that doesn’t feel right. She’s the one woman I draw my inspiration from in how I carry myself and how live my life currently.
10. Besides your mom, who do you see as your role model and why?
Apart from my mom, a lot of woman who have broken that stereotype in various careers like music production. All the women who have excelled in male dominated industries, those women are my full on role models.
11. As a woman what would you like to see happening to women as a unit?
It would make me genuinely happy to see women support one another instead of pulling away from each other, GENUINELY being the operative word.
Great song: Watch Zonke's music video, empowering women through Zazi
Follow Bongiwe on Twitter: @Bongirand2
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