Two fearless, rebellious African women worth following

Lerato Mogoatlhe

When Lerato Mogoatlhe left South Africa for Dakar, Senegal, back in 2008, it was supposed to be for just three months. Astonishingly, she ended up spending five splendid years traveling in every region of Africa. And, she discovered a few gems along the way, the most special ones being some of the most incredible women on the continent. Amongst them were Bi Kidude, the legendary Zanzibari-born Tanzanian Taarab singer; and Werewere Liking, a prolific poet, painter, novelist, and playwright, born in Cameroon and based in Côte d'Ivoire. Unapologetic, rebellious, and emphatically independent, both tell stories of the women of Africa that, in Lerato’s view, young African girls still finding their way must follow.

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Lerato is a journalist, travel enthusiast, and author of Vagabond: Wandering Through Africa on Faith