MANY of the things taken for granted in the UK are absent from some parts of Africa, from modern conveniences such as Hoovers and washing machines to notions of gender equality and education for all.

Locardia Chidanyika discovered the distance between the two cultures when she first set foot in England as a young woman.

The 39-year-old grew up in the Mazowe Valley where she lived with a loving family who struggled to thrive amid widespread poverty.

Like many of her childhood peers, Ms Chidanyika was “very, very poor”, living in a community where boys were educated but girls were not, one where restrictive gender roles were upheld – in a “man’s world”, as she puts it.

She went almost everywhere barefoot, owning just one pair of shoes – “for church” – and was forced to use leaves and rags to manage her menstrual flow.

Her life changed dramatically when her aunt brought her to live in a bigger city, fought for her to be educated and eventually sent her to live with an uncle in England.

When she arrived as a young woman with no English, she encountered an alien culture, where even items such as vacuum cleaners, bathtubs and washing machines came as a surprise.

Education and a willingness to integrate unlocked a new world for Ms Chidanyika, who began her new life by cleaning toilets and went on to obtain a master’s degree and become a successful businesswoman, running a recruitment company in Darlington.

She said: “I struggled, English not being my first language – I had to have a dictionary next to me when studying but I wanted to advance myself and I worked so hard.”

To succeed, she was forced to overcome many cultural barriers that she believes are now impeding the progress of other Africans in Britain.

Using her experiences to inspire and empower, she set up Women Today, aiming to give African women a voice and an understanding of British culture.

The group meet to share experiences, network and access support, with speakers – from Parliamentary representatives to health officials – helping to ensure members know how the country works and what avenues are open to them.

Coming to the UK with strong religious values and from a patriarchal society can mean many African women struggle in silence with issues ranging from sexual abuse to domestic violence, isolation and mental health problems, says Ms Chidanyika.

She believes integration, language skills and learning about culture will help women to find their voice and to carve out an empowered new life in Britain.

She says: “In Africa, it’s a man’s world, it doesn’t give a voice to girls and women.

“I grew up seeing women suffering and if someone had problems they would pray and not seek other help.

“A lot of African women here still suffering because they are so used to the situation at home – they still do everything to look after their husband, there’s domestic violence and sexual abuse, too.

“People will often not speak out as to do so would bring shame on their family.

“Some have children taken away from them because they are raising them as their mothers would, they may have grown up being beaten so that’s all they know and the first thing they think of when their children do something wrong.

“There are health concerns too – when they come, they don’t know about things like smear tests and don’t like to talk about them as they feel ashamed.

“Women and girls are suffering within their own communities and there’s a language barrier so they cannot speak for themselves.

“I’ve made British friends and don’t see the point of staying in your own community and not learning about Britain and what British people do.”

In establishing Women Today, Ms Chidanyika is using her own experiences to inspire positive change for others. She adds: “When I came to the UK, I was very privileged and my position now is to help other women and girls to change and transform their lives.

“I tell them I’ve done this and so can you – if I can change just one or two of their lives, then at least I am changing something and they can go on to change someone else’s life.”

For more information, visit womentodayne.co.uk.