House of Basadi (Pty) Ltd & Johnson Community Development NPC
What does your company do?
House of Basadi
We practically empower women and youth at the grassroots level by equipping them with handicraft and sewing skills that promote creativity, self-reliance and economic opportunity.
Johnson Community Development
We are a non-profit company dedicated to uplifting disadvantaged communities by addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality through comprehensive public benefit activities such as skills development and food security programs for disadvantaged communities.
What is your biggest success?
One of my greatest achievements with House of Basadi was being named a 2019 Standard Bank Top Women Awards finalist. I also secured a retail opportunity with nearly 40 stores for one of my handcrafted products, a major step in scaling impact and creating income for local artisans. Being featured as Hero of the Week in February 2025 further affirmed my commitment to creativity and community empowerment.
Through Johnson Community Development NPC, I’m especially proud of our “Feeding Minds One Loaf at a Time” initiative in partnership with Wits Citizenship and Community Outreach, which tackles food insecurity by providing weekly bread to students in need. These milestones reflect not only tangible community impact but also the power of purpose-driven partnerships in creating lasting change.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
My biggest hurdle has been managing and growing two social impact initiatives as a solo founder. Running both House of Basadi and Johnson Community Development NPC requires wearing many hats i.e creative, operational, financial, and strategic, often without the benefit of a full-time team. Balancing the demands of program delivery, stakeholder engagement and sustainability with limited capacity has been challenging. However, this experience has strengthened my adaptability, leadership, and commitment to growing that empower others. I’ve learned to leverage partnerships, community networks, and flexible collaborations, especially with local women artisans, to expand impact despite limited resources. The journey has taught me that small teams can still make a big difference with vision, consistency and heart.
