Katongo Maine’s autobiography is the first book to be published in a new series of memoirs, entitled Remarkable Women of Zambia, that will show how women have made their mark in politics, civil society, education, business and NGOs. Women were always involved in Zambia’s Independence struggle and after it was achieved they queued alongside men to vote in the first elections. They have never given up their involvement in public life but, as elsewhere, it was men who slipped into most positions of real power and stayed there. For women throughout the world, the struggle to fulfil their potential continues and it is hoped that this series will not only claim a place for the remarkable women who figure in Zambia’s modern history but also act as an inspiration to younger women today. Katongo Maine’s story tells of a remarkable young girl from a poor family who defied her mother by refusing an arranged marriage, determined instead to become a nurse with a career and salary of her own.