“I cannot tolerate or accept how as a universal society, we have come to normalise the concept that one life is more important than another,” says Yakima Dengler-Waner. “Every single life matters as every single living being or creature was made by G-d.” Armed with this belief, Dengler-Waner founded The Harvest Project in 2019, which she now chairs and serves as chief executive. The Harvest Project is a non-profit organisation which enters risky environments where children face issues of racism, xenophobia, inequality, poverty, and negligence of health and education. Together with organisations and institutions in the area in which it operates, it aims to find solutions to the challenges the children face. The organisation runs an early childhood development centre and primary school at its main base, The Harvest Centre. Situated on the grounds of the Brakpan Synagogue, The Harvest Centre also protects the synagogue as a museum, and maintains the Brakpan Jewish Cemetery. “One of The Harvest Project’s main objectives is to teach children how to harvest their own food and learn sustainable life skills so they can survive off the land in harmony and benefit from its therapeutic qualities,” Dengler-Waner says. “This philosophy was adopted by the secret ghetto food gardens during the Holocaust, and survivors believed it helped the children see hope in darkness.” Dengler-Waner says what makes her unique is that she sees endless potential and beauty in places where many only see the bad. “I’ve realised as a documentarian, activist, and a human being that the only way we can make a difference for nature, animals, and one another is by not looking the other way. Rather, we need to deal with the issues at hand and find ways to change them through the eyes of our children.” As such, she believes leaders are revealed as children. “Children have the potential to teach adults to be better leaders and better human beings,” she says. “There are a few children in our centre who have changed me as a person and made me more understanding and accepting of others. “For example, a young girl named Vimbai has been with us for many years.” She singlehandedly gets her siblings to school each day, and helps her parents fill out documents that can benefit them as they can’t read or write in English. “For me, this young lady is a true leader.” Dengler-Waner is involved in many different fields, and says she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I come from a family that is dedicated to humanitarian efforts but is also business orientated and always a part of the community,” she says. In emulating this example, in the coming years, she hopes to continue all her work but on a larger scale so that she can continue to help the team and children who rely on her. “If you make a difference in one life, there is a ripple effect which will change the lives of many,” she says. Stephanie Weil “Miss South Africa has been an incredible passion and empowerment platform not only for me, but many young women in this country,” says Stephanie Weil, the chief executive of the Miss South Africa organisation. “It inspires me daily to empower those around me, and that includes fighting for my beliefs and community.” Not only does Weil manage the Miss South Africa pageant, she has worked to make the pageantry space more relevant by creating a reality show called Crown Chasers. The show takes place in the lead-up to the final pageant, and aims to showcase the growth and development of the young women on the platform. “In our second season on SABC 3 we had record numbers of viewers, making us the leading competition reality show on the channel,” she says. “We’ve also been nominated for a SAFTA [South Africa Film and Television Award] for work done in 2023.” A proud member of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning) community, Weil is particularly proud of the show’s impact in showcasing the diversity of women in the country. “This year, we had mothers, divorcees, married women, and a woman with a cochlear implant on our finale stage and in the Crown Chasers programme. “With Mia le Roux, our first deaf Miss South Africa, winning, we have seen the meaning of inclusion truly come to life. I hope to continue to ensure that young women across the country feel inspired, empowered, and that a platform like ours exists to ensure young women’s voices can be heard.” Weil is the daughter of late renowned public relations guru Suzanne Weil. “She started working on the Miss South Africa pageant in 2013, and was instrumental in giving it a new look for the new millennium,” she says. “Realising what an incredible platform this could be for the women of South Africa, I made the decision to take over the pageant in 2019 at the age of 29 through my company, Weil Entertainment.” Weil has always had a clear vision of what pageantry needs to be, and aims to redefine the concept locally and internationally. “I managed to be at the helm and reshape the narrative of a beauty platform into that of an empowerment platform, with the ideal of creating an army of strong female leaders,” she says. Employing eight people, Weil runs her business like a family. “The only way to succeed is to trust the people around me enough to let them do what they do best,” she says, speaking of her leadership philosophy.” I take care of my employees from a holistic perspective, personally and professionally.” Ultimately, Weil aims to be a beacon of positive change for women. “I always dream too big and allow my courage of conviction to carry me through. I would love to be remembered as someone who changed the landscape for women in the beauty industry. More so, I’d like to be remembered as someone who lived for every moment, and succeeded in her constant drive for other young women.” Yakima Dengler-Waner Chantal Kur Chantal Kur found her calling as a mediator after witnessing the strenuous and litigious process of divorces while working in a law firm early in her career. “The costs, time periods involved, and emotional trauma to all parties, including the children, can really take its toll on all those involved,” she says. “This compelled me to study advanced alternative dispute resolution, and to start The Mediation Clinic & Divorce Mediations in 2009.” Today, Kur provides a rare A to Z costeffective service, which includes divorce mediation sessions; the drafting of settlement agreements; parenting plans; and post-divorce mediation. She takes a holistic approach to mediation, ensuring that if a couple isn’t ready to proceed with a divorce, she offers them marital mediation or referrals to couples therapists. “My commitment is to the well-being of the individuals and families involved rather than simply completing the process,” she says. “This holistic, trauma-informed approach sets me apart and ensures that my clients receive the support they need. My work isn’t just about resolving disputes, it’s about helping people find peace and healing, and this assists them to co-parent in the best interests of their children.” Kur’s devotion to her work is clear in her path to establishing her business. “I’m self-made, having held various positions within a law firm for three decades while simultaneously studying, working, and building my practice,” she says. “I funded both my studies and practice entirely on my own, without any external help. The growth of my practice is the result of immense time, effort, and sacrifice.” A particularly tumultuous period came when Kur lost her mother when the practice was just a year old. “Navigating the demands of running my practice while she was ill and after her passing was a significant challenge. Dealing with accomplishments and not being able to share them with her created a paradox of emotions – feeling elated at achievements, but also deeply saddened by her absence when she was the person I dialled first. She taught me the importance of having a strong value system, a solid work ethic, and an appreciation for hard work.” While it was challenging building her business from the ground up, Kur would do it all over again if given the chance. “If there’s one correct decision I have made in this life, it was becoming a mediator,” she says. “I have made a difference in numerous people’s lives, and healing others happens to be balm for my own soul. Nothing is more satisfying than knowing that what I do matters and has long-term benefits.” Kur has chosen to be a sole proprietor so that she can provide personalised service to each couple that walks through her doors. “A a sole proprietor, there isn’t much scope for me to build job creation in a larger context, but I believe I contribute by inspiring others to pursue similar paths,” she says. “Many people have told me that watching me has inspired them to open their own practices.” 34 Europcar Women in Leadership Award nominees
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