The Love Yourself Campaign was created for women of all sizes and shapes, African women with curves and those who feel left out. It also caters to men and the LGBTIQ community.
This year, they will be celebrating 5 years of existence, emphasising on taking their power back from whoever and whatever was trying to hold them back in the past.
Founder and artist Priscilla The Namibian Desert Queen told Entertainment Now! the campaign has managed to change women over the years. Successful women who were previously abused, women with low self-esteem have managed to find their voice in their workplace and society. ‘’The men whom I randomly meet always hug me and tell me they are so excited because the women in their lives changed from a shy lady to a bold and confident woman who loves herself, making life easier at home, and their household benefits from this self-love too,’’ she explained.
The five-time 2017 Namibia Music Awards nominee said the reason she started this initiative is that she was always ridiculed for being overgrown, too big and too fat according to society and its norms, causing her to hide, shy away and wanting to commit suicide because she was not happy at all with her body. ‘’It got so worse that I ended up having eating disorders and trying to hide my breasts by wrapping them tight under my school shirt at school so no one can see. The campaign started because I identified the need and lack in our society towards plus-sized woman. We are clustered as lazy and fat and just plain ugly. People tend to give you a compliment with a hidden agenda, telling you: ‘You look beautiful for a big girl’. Why not just say you look beautiful? Why add the big girl?’’ she questioned.
Throughout the year, they host regular workshops and meetings, where they discuss the way forward, especially if women are abused in their relationships, in order to help them regain their confidence they have lost in life – be it being abused or ridiculed. She said ‘’It’s not just for the phat girls (by phat, I mean pretty, hot and thick girls), it is for women of all shapes and sizes – let me help you to fix your crown so you can help your fellow sister to fix hers. Alone, I might – but together, we surely will achieve more than we can ever imagine. Let’s take one another’s hands and stand together’’.
In addition to the meetings to be hosted, they will also be more active in charity events, outreach programs and various soup kitchens.
Priscilla is inviting the public to get involved in the project through sponsorships because they need all the help they can get. ‘’In addition, we will be paying special attention to secondary school girls because in the past, the Love Yourself Campaign donated prom dresses. So, this year, if possible and when we get enough sponsors, we can do it bigger and better to get suits for the boys as well,’’ she ended.
For any enquiries regarding sponsorships or how to get involved, please email apolluspriscilla@gmail.com or visit her Facebook page: Latifah Queen.
slunyangwe@nepc.com.na