Tanzanian woman boxer Pendo Njau (R) does training with her coach Kanda Kabonga during a boxing training season in Der es Salaam, Tanzania on March 4, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

"All talk about gender bias can be broken with strong fists like mine," says Hellen Honest Njau, also known as Pendo Njau.

Njau, a mother of three children, is a boxer, a boxing referee and a boxing judge based in Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

Njau looks drenched in sweat an hour into training at the Kaseba gymnasium, named after Japhet Kaseba, one of Tanzania's celebrated professional boxers at Mwananyamala Mchangani.

"Sweat is one of my make-ups," wearing a broad smile, Njau told Xinhua ahead of International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, which is commemorated on March 8.

Tanzanian woman boxer Pendo Njau poses for a photo with other boxers in Der es Salaam, Tanzania on March 4, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

She is a member of the Tanzania Professional Boxing Regulatory Commission (TPBRC) which licenses, sanctions and governs professional boxing events in Tanzania.

"I started training in boxing in 2002 and then my interest spread to refereeing and judging," she said, adding that in the course of her boxing stint she has been able to scoop various championships in boxing contests organized in Tanzania.

"During all this time I have been practicing boxing, I have been inspired by Japhet Kaseba. He supported me all this time," said Njau whose firstborn daughter called Jesca is following in the footsteps of her mother.

"I have also faced challenges in refereeing boxing, but I have been able to resolve some of them," said the charming female boxer who is chairperson of Women Committee for Professional Boxing in Tanzania.

As a female boxer, referee and judge, Njau said she has been able to cultivate friendship with people from all walks of life, including wealthy businessmen and poor people, from within Tanzania and abroad.

"My dream is to empower young girls by training them into boxing. Through boxing, I am sure a hundred percent their livelihoods could improve," said Njau, adding that she believes there are hundreds of boxing champions in young girls.

For International Women's Day, Njau has one message to young girls: "Parents or guardians should allow their young girls to engage in productive work like boxing that will enable them to earn income for supporting their families in the future."

She said she also inspired her 22-year-old daughter Jesca to join boxing, hoping that one day she will become a boxing world champion.

Donning a black T-shirt inscribed Mabingwa wa Ulingo (loosely translated into English as Champions of Boxing Ring), Jesca has now trained in boxing for two years.

She previously participated in three boxing competitions in Tanzania and one in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates but failed.

"My failure in the four boxing competitions acted as motivation for me to work harder. I am training hard so that I win in future boxing competitions," she said, adding that her mother never referees her boxing bouts to avoid favoritism.

She trains four hours a day, two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.

She said the only boxer she admires under the sun is her mother. "My mother is exemplary and inspirational to me."