Amidst the grandeur of Cape Town, SA’s main tourist hotspot, lies the informal township of Khayelitsha. In stark contrast to the affluent neighboring towns in Cape Town, many people are afraid to venture here and few believe that any good can come from this community. However Baratang Miya, a self-taught software developer and the founder of the non-profit organization GirlHype, believes otherwise. Through her organization, she aims to empower women and girls with technology and entrepreneurship. She delights in finding “wealth” in a community such as Khayelitsha.

German actress Stephanie Stumph during a film production in India (2012).

A few months ago, a white South African friend of mine went to India. She asked me how I would feel if she wore a sari (traditional dress for many Indian women) there. I was somewhat indifferent and wondered why she was asking me since I was not even in India. Since she was there, why shouldn’t she wear a sari, I thought. People from other cultures have worn it for years and I’m always pleasantly surprised by how much more welcome they are in Indian circles when they do wear traditional dress.

In 2016, #blessed took on a whole new meaning in South Africa, as supposedly “blessed” women took to social media, aka virtual reality, to unashamedly flaunt their gifts of luxury holidays, expensive cars, kitted from head to toe in branded, fancy threads.

© Jes Foord Foundation

Rape culture in South Africa has become somewhat of a norm, a sign of its pervasive nature and society’s biased attitude towards gender and sexuality. Official statistics do not always reflect the fact that so many cases go unreported. This enduring nightmare often leaves victims helpless and scared for life. One victim of rape, decided to turn her status around, by taking this horrific crime and making it work for the greater good of the community around her.

Ashle Skaftouros is a phenomenon. After meeting the founder of Kangamama, you simply cannot forget her. She is the poster child of a beautiful African woman. Her a little crazy, a bit cheeky, but always inspiring attitude causes a shift in the atmosphere around her. At least, this is the impression I got when I first encountered her many years ago. She stood out as someone who was destined to make a difference in her world.

I have a daughter who is 17 months old. She is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and full of wonder, usually running in the face of danger and always in search of adventure. As her mum, I love her free spirit even though it is tiring to chase after her when she ventures away from the playground in search of something more. Raising her away from the land I was raised in has brought about its own set of challenges.

I just knew I had to follow the smile in his golden eyes into the sunset. It involved jumping on a plane, while barely knowing the inner workings of his soul or where on Google’s map he lived. It involved a great deal of bravery, a trusting heart, money I wasn’t sure I had, faith the size of a mustard seed  and a spirit of adventure.