International Women's Day

Name: Frances Barstow
Age: 34
Location: Johannesburg (the New York of Africa), South Africa

Fashion Designer, just married with a little girl, trying to be creative in this big machine called Johannesburg.

What's a typical day in your life like?

Snuggling with my family until I hear the taxis (the South African term for minibuses that make up all of South Africa's mass transport) hooting on the roads outside. Lecturing, running around, looking for a lot of my day at a computer screen. Feeling the great divide between my meager life and the poorest of the poor who are totally living below the breadline. If I am battling, how on earth are they managing? Greeting my HIV+ nanny who looks after my little girl while I am at work. The nanny is only 28, beautiful and vibrant. And being my nanny is the only work that she can get.

What's the biggest challenge you face?

Keeping my sanity in the face of all this poverty and suffering from AIDS to famine and xenophobia in SA. How can I justify my glass of red wine as I relax at night in my little home - safe and sound?

How do you relax / unwind?

Gardening in my tiny postage stamp city farm and growing pumpkins.

3 things you always have in your bag:

A nappy, pen and paper to write my ideas, my pink wayfarers.

What do you dream about?

Living on a farm and collecting eggs from the chickens every morning. Also traveling everywhere. I suppose I also dream of a non-corrupt government (but hey, who am I kidding).

What women do you admire / who are your heroes?

All mothers around the world who balance work and being a mom well. I strive everyday and it's hard.

Meet the rest of the international Bettys!