Farewell, Vweta! You Live On

Beloved Sister Vweta

I begin here with different emotions welling in my heart at the moment: loss, guilt, pain and joy. But perhaps I should just begin with an apology - apology for learning of your departure only a few hours ago and for not talking to you in recent months. Apology, also for struggling to keep my emotions well in check and not writing a post that is truly worthy of you a master wordsmith with a wonderful voice. Will you forgive me please?

Since hearing of your passing away (thank you members of World Pulse Ambassador group for sharing the news), I have been going through all our past conversations, emails and chats. Like so many other World Pulse sisters, we never met in person (I was so sure we would, one day) but that is never a factor in our relationship. We were sisters who loved each other and believed in each other. And each of our conversations - was a reflection of this.

Of course most of our chats revolved around World Pulse Ambassador program which you joined in 2017. But we also talked about your health (although it was more of me asking of your health and  you assuring me everything was fine even when you struggled), your project ASHA (which as you described to me as a safe space for women with physical, mental, emotional and social disabilities) and also the prestigious YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship which you had won in 2016.  Your emails, reflected your great communication skill: short, crisp, to the point, effective and yet so full of love. I smiled again as I read this now - its what you wrote right after I had asked for your profile in 170 characters

Dear Super Shero,

Thank you so much for all you do to keep us abreast.

Here's my bio:

"Vweta, Nigeria, has over 10years experience working to improve the lives of rural women. She’s a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow, a 2015 Global Change Leaders fellow and a 2015 USIP Generation Change Fellow."

Thank you for your leadership.

Respectfully, Vweta

I have also  read - again and again - some of my most favorite stories on World Pulse that were written by you. Like the story about menopause (The letter i can no longer wait to write)  and how the internet had given you your voice after a surgery snatched it away. Needless to say, I got goosebumps, yet again.

But the best moment that I found today was this - a photo of yours which I am using in this post. You had sent me this sometime in 2018. What a gorgeous woman you were, my sister, what a ravishing beauty! 

I still don't know what took you away from us. But I hope, it was a peaceful journey, though sudden and unexpected. What I do know, however, is that you lived your life with courage, love, care, and hope. You held many hands and voiced for so many.

Today, I say goodbye to you, but believe you me sister, just as the physical distance between us and our 'met online only' status never mattered, your departure from this world will also never matter. Perhaps, that's the greatest beauty of being members of an online family: you were and are and will continue to be right here, in this community, in your stories, in our emails, our chats and in the beautiful memories you created. 

Travel well sister, I will continue to love you.

Stella