大象传媒

Gill knew there was a secret in the family. When she found out the truth, the extent of her mother's sacrifices become clear.
Her story is just one sent to The Response from listeners' smartphones after we requested your stories about "inspiring women".

In other stories John King recalls a woman whose name he cannot remember, but who changed the course of his life. Taform Isaac Meyahnui from Cameroon remembers being hungry and denied an education, before an aunt offered him a lifeline. And, students from the Liceo Vito Fazio Allmayer language school in Alcamo Sicily tell us about the women who fire their passions, from the Nobel Prize winning scientist Rita Levi Montalcini to the Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

There are contributions from Gill Roberts, Fatima Sarr, Melania Trovato, Emanuela Orlando, Giorgia Saullo, Diana Madibekova, Martina Campo, Giullia Accardo, Isabella Garbo and Anna Rodriquenz.

(Photo Hiker at summit peak, looking at sunset. Credit: Stanislaw Pytel/Getty Images)