We’ve seen the #EndGirlHate and #W4WWLD (Women 4 Women Wednesday LeAnne Dlamini) gaining an organic, yet noticeable growth trend.
The brainchild of South African songstress LeAnne Dlamini, it was inevitable that something that started as an authentic desire to empower and encourage women would soon need to become tangible.
She made it her mission to breakdown the barriers that so often divide! Using her loved public status, social media became her very first platform to #EndGirlHate. Other than singing, one of LeAnne’s natural talents is the ability to encourage and inspire. Women from around the country, and internationally, were soon drawn to this modest endeavor to embolden women from all walks of life. But it couldn’t simply stop at social media. “I really wanted to make this bigger than me because we tend to stick to our circle of friends and support one another and I knew that together, we could do so much more,” highlights LeAnne. But mere connecting online was simply not enough; the public demanded more.
2015 saw the birth of #EndGirlHate breakfasts where women could network and connect and are in a nutshell, the entire movement made tangible. The breakfasts consist of a real variety of women ranging from those nominated by friends or family to those who are already successful or recognisable and it’s crucial to bring these worlds together. LeAnne explains, “this has all grown so quickly. I’m delighted because the growth means that it’s not about me and it’s got to be so much bigger.” Bigger it certainly has become. Introducing the very first End Girl Hate Conference, Sisterhood.
“So many women and young girls wanted to be part of the breakfasts and so I wanted to create an opportunity to include as many women as possible to connect with one another. The Sisterhood Conference is a fun morning (eventually it will become a full day) where women can go and be inspired, empower one another and just revel in the company of other women. Inspiration on the day will come not only from LeAnne, but also from the internationally sought after guest speaker, award winning entrepreneur, Thato Kgatlhanye.
Described by Forbes.com as “A new breed of business woman in Africa,” Kgatlhanye embarked on her career in New York with marketing guru, Seth Godin. Her return home saw her start up an environmental company, Rethaka, personally acknowledged by Bill Gates for its innovation. Her real desire is “to do work that matters,” hence, her creation of an innovative consultancy for startups, Seven Twelve. At 23, she has already been listed on the highly acclaimed Forbes 30 under 30 list; received the International Elle Impact Award and is the youngest woman to appear on the cover of Forbes Women Africa. With a South African who has graced global platforms set to address them, the Sisterhood attendees are in for a sensational and impactful morning. The movement has begun!
#EndGirlHate is a movement that I now want to see grow globally. I’m seeing that this is so much more than a trend…it’s a necessity,” says LeAnne.
