Amplifying the voices of extraordinary South African women

Women's Month celebrations

Since its launch in 2023 as part of lifestyle retailer Poetry’s Women's Month celebrations, the Change Makers initiative has evolved into a vibrant network that connects extraordinary South African women and showcases the work they are doing to uplift and empower communities.   Poetry's Change Makers initiative exemplifies an approach to community engagement and corporate social responsibility South Africa that leverages network effects and tailored support.

The programme’s foundation was laid at a long-table lunch that brought together fifteen women working across varied sectors through their NGOs, businesses, and outreach programmes. These extraordinary women quickly discovered common ground in their commitment to uplifting others. The potential of leveraging their collective purpose resonated deeply, and with Poetry’s support, they began to explore ways in which they could support and strengthen one another's missions. This network effect has become one of Change Makers' defining characteristics, with the original participants maintaining contact and actively supporting causes beyond their individual focus areas.

Poetry has also chosen to focus on organic, capability-driven growth and a personalised approach to supporting each Change Maker. Rather than implementing a standardised programme, Poetry adapts its support to meet individual needs. This can take various forms, from volunteerism and donations to strategic investments, beginning with partnerships with the Change Makers themselves before extending to causes close to their hearts. This flexibility allows Poetry to maximise impact while giving each initiative the attention and resources it deserves. The most recently recognised Change Maker is Oslynn Macounie, who for the past twelve years has directed St. Anne's Homes in Cape Town. This 121-year-old institution provides much-needed shelter and support to vulnerable women and children, helping them heal from trauma and build independent futures. Under Macounie's leadership, St. Anne's Homes has grown to offer a comprehensive support system including second and third-stage housing, skills development, and pathways to meaningful employment.

Women's Month celebrations

Other Change Makers include Sarah Waller, whose Socially Gathering addresses the modern challenge of building meaningful offline connections amongst women, and Aurora Marcopoulos, who helps tackle period poverty through The Cora Project, combining education with practical resources to destigmatise menstruation. Jessica Ramoshaba's Fouura Lifestyle promotes sustainable fashion consciousness, while Nomndeni Mdakhi's Agenda Women creates networks for professional women to thrive. Gina Bennett's Safe Study provides important after-school enrichment activities in secure environments, and Makungu Valoyi uses social media through Advocacy4MentalHealth to share evidence-based mental health resources. These strong women exemplify a powerful shift toward empowering women in business, social development, and everyday leadership.

Beyond its work with individual Change Makers, Poetry's commitment to community support is expressed through strategic partnerships and innovative giving models. A collaboration with Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator exemplifies this approach by addressing youth unemployment through practical interventions. In 2024, Poetry supported Harambee through a nationwide donation drive to collect professional clothing for job seekers. Presentation in interviews significantly impacts employment outcomes, and for young women facing socio-economic barriers to opportunity, being able to choose outfits that reflected their personalities and aspirations helped them with the confidence they needed to make a great first impression.  These diverse initiatives collectively advance women empowerment.

Over Christmas last year an extension of the Change Makers project – dubbed “Kindsmas” – saw three Change Makers each select a R5 000 gift bundle to distribute within their communities. This approach multiplied the initiative's reach, empowering those already making differences to extend their impact further. Plans for similar activations around special synergies or days, reflect Poetry's commitment to creative community support approaches. As Change Makers continues to evolve, existing changemakers are empowered to nominate future participants, creating an organic growth model that ensures authentic representation and continuity. This measured approach allows for meaningful storytelling and genuine relationship building with each Change Maker, who becomes an extension of the Poetry and Change Makers family.

Change Makers succeeds because it recognises that meaningful social responsibility in fashion extends beyond sustainable materials or ethical production. By providing a platform for remarkable women to share their stories, connect with like-minded individuals, and access tailored support, Poetry has sparked a movement leveraging collective inspiration and practical support to uplift South African communities.  It also reinforces Poetry’s role in promoting fashion with purpose — connecting ethical practices to real community outcomes.

For more information see:

https://www.poetrystores.co.za/c/world-of-poetry-change-makers

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