Design26 Foundation

08/10/2026

Looking back at our Class of 2026, I’m reminded that this journey was never just about learning to sew. It was about women discovering their strength, finding confidence, making mistakes, trying again, and realising that they are capable of so much more than they may have believed.

From the first nervous stitches to completed garments, every challenge became part of their growth. We are proud of how far they have come, and even more excited about where these skills can take them next.

To our Class of 2026: keep going, keep learning, and never underestimate what your hands can create. ❤️

07/10/2026

06/10/2026

28/09/2026

Today she sits behind a sewing machine. Tomorrow, she could be creating jobs of her own. At Design26 Foundation, we believe skills create more than income they create confidence, dignity and possibilities. Every stitch she learns is a step towards financial independence and becoming a woman who can create opportunities not only for herself, but for others too. This is why we keep showing up to turn skills into livelihoods, dreams into action, and women into future job creators. 🧵❤️

23/09/2026

At Design26 Foundation, we provide free skills training because we believe that a different future starts with someone brave enough to take the first step.

You will never start if you are scared, and even when no one backs you, start anyway, because sometimes you have to believe in the vision before anyone else can see it.

Once you have chosen your path, stay committed through the ups and downs, because it is often in the lowest moments that Allah is preparing the table for what is ahead.

Keep believing, keep pushing, keep showing up, and continue making a difference, because your beginning may become someone else’s breakthrough.

19/09/2026

In honor of our growth...here's a reminder that we all start somewhere and sometimes the journey ✈️is messy 🦋

18/09/2026

Last year, I stood on this stage with a sore back, a pitch prepared, and a room full of people waiting to hear what I had built.
I remember looking across the room that night. I wasn’t questioning my business or what I believed in. I knew the work, the purpose and the journey behind it.
But when they called my name as the Iwisa No1 Community Champion 1st Prize winner, I was completely and utterly in disbelief.

Tonight, I stood on that same stage again.
Only this time, I wasn’t there to pitch.
I was invited back as a speaker, to share my journey, wish the new entrants well and encourage them as they prepare to pitch their business ideas and compete for the next Western Cape Community Champion title.

And as I stood there tonight, I thought about how much can change in a year.
One thing, however, has never changed my WHY.
Whenever I pitch my business, my WHY will always matter more to me than the products I sell. The products are what we make.
The WHY is why we exist.
For me, that WHY is creating opportunities, empowering women, creating jobs and changing the narrative of what is possible in our communities.

That is my unique business proposition. It is also what keeps me going when things are difficult. It is the reason I refuse to give up. It is why I get up, get dressed and show up every single day.

And another lesson this journey has taught me is that building a business isn’t only about selling. It’s about building relationships.
Meet people. Connect with people. Listen to people. Build genuine networks. Don’t make every interaction about what you have to sell.
People buy from people. Relationships create opportunities.
And as your business grows, don’t forget to look back.
Reach back. Open doors. Create opportunities. Be the change you want to see in your community.
Because success isn’t only about how far you can go.
It’s about what you do with the opportunity when you get there and who you take with you.

Your products may get people’s attention.
But your WHY is what makes them remember you. ❤️