In the warm, welcoming space of Bertha House in Mowbray, laughter, music, and lively conversations filled the air as girls from across Cape Town gathered for a Women\u2019s Day celebration unlike any other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hosted by the non-profit arts-education organisation Lalela, the event brought together learners from its Female Empowerment Programme, including participants from Silikamva High School, Hout Bay High School, Masiphumelele High School, and Thandokhulu High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The theme was Becoming Her: Bold, Brave and Beautiful<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Lalela, the day was more than marking a date on the calendar. It was about creating a safe, creative space where young women could fully embrace who they are , unapologetically and without judgment , while receiving encouragement and guidance from female mentors who have walked similar journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe wanted our girls to have a space where they can be unapologetically themselves, embraced, celebrated, and guided by women who believe in them,\u201d said Firdous Hendricks<\/strong>, Executive Director of Lalela. The day\u2019s activities were as vibrant as the girls themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A highlight was the tote bag decorating session, a creative continuation of an earlier 67-minute public art activation held at the V&A Waterfront in honour of Nelson Mandela Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each tote bag became a personal canvas, decorated with colours, words, and images reflecting each participant\u2019s personality and aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inside the bags, Lalela placed hygiene packs containing sanitary towels, journals, and lip glosses \u2014 thoughtful gifts reminding the girls to care for their bodies, minds, and self-expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mentorship was central to the celebration. Female role models from Lalela\u2019s partner communities, professional networks, and friends volunteered their time to listen, share stories, and connect with the girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an interactive exercise, participants chose cards with words and phrases, then discussed their meanings , opening doors to reflections on identity, resilience, and ambition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most stirring moment came when a Lalela leadership participant performed a heartfelt poem about what it means to be a woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her voice, at times soft and other times strong, drew nods, smiles, and spontaneous applause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe day was about being brave and fearless, owning the space you walk into, and daring to dream big,\u201d Hendricks explained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n For the girls, the event was a reminder that their voices matter, their dreams are valid, and their futures are theirs to shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the afternoon ended, tote bags, heavy with art supplies and personal meaning, were slung over shoulders. The girls left chatting excitedly, their steps lighter and heads held higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lalela\u2019s commitment continues beyond this event through its Female Empowerment Programme, offering weekly after-school sessions in academic support, self-development, and leadership to equip young women from under-resourced areas with confidence and purpose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lalela\u2019s Women\u2019s Day event empowered Cape Town girls through creativity, mentorship, and confidence-building under the theme Becoming 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the warm, welcoming space of Bertha House in Mowbray, the sound of laughter, music, and lively conversation filled the air as girls from across Cape Town gathered for a Women's Day celebration unlike any other. Photo: Supplied","article_media_icon":"1","article_template":"news","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"NAMHLA MONAKALI","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"Lalela inspires bold futures","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":["DnmLalela_12 Aug_P1"],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-269212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nA safe space to be unapologetically yourself<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s about planting seeds of confidence and courage that will continue to grow long after the day is over.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nCreativity as a path to confidence<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Mentors from the heart of the community<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The power of words<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
Beyond women\u2019s day<\/h4>\n\n\n\n