1. HAVE A TRIBE

“Having a tribe can break the isolation,” she explains. Whether that’s the women in North Nigeria who find other people going through the same loss or suffering, or your best friends on your WhatsApp group directing you through a hard time, “it’s easier to be brave when you find your tribe”.

2. GAIN KNOWLEDGE

“Knowledge ignites our power,” says Schmidt. “The more things we learn, the more things we can do, and that becomes our power.” She explained that when Kangyang attended her course with Women for Women, she learnt to grow avocados. Now she feeds her child using the money she makes from selling the fruit. “Not only that, but she learnt to be confident and have drive,” added Schmidt.

3. CHEERLEAD

“When we know there’s someone who cares, who believes in us, it helps,” she says. Whether that’s you writing a letter to your sponsored woman, or finding someone to help you believe in your own talents, “Extend that sisterhood - everyone can afford solidarity”.

4. FIND INSPIRATION AND INSPIRE

Schmidt spoke of the “boardroom of women” she has in her heart, whose stories she can pick epending on whether she needs strength, creativity or power: “inspiration can not be underestimated”.

5. MAKE AN IMPACT

“Tapping into your own power will help you feel better and make a difference,” Schmidt says. “It gives your life meaning and means you can make change for others. At the end, you are change.”

Image: Women for Women

This is what brave looks like, according to Women for Women's Brita Fernandez Schmidt