Women’s Month 2023: Breaking the Mould, Building the Future

Building an equal and safer society requires more than words – it requires action and change!

To Amber Heywood of Balwin Properties, Women’s Month is important because it is a significant time to honour and appreciate the contributions of women in all fields.

“It is a reminder and a time of acknowledgement for women in the workplace and the extraordinary milestones and roles that women achieve in different spheres of society.”, shared Amber.

The Balwin Foundation leads our mission to promote gender equality in traditionally male-dominated industries by providing scholarships, bursaries, awards, and study loans for skill development in construction, engineering, and other property related fields.

The Balwin Foundation also focuses on giving back to communities through social responsibility initiatives. Here are a few ways we have transformed our professional community and the communities we operate in over the past few months.

Women in Construction

Women play a vital role in all our operations and accomplishments, from project management to leading innovation and skilled labour on the ground. An all-women crew recently took centre stage by executing the first concrete pour at the upcoming De Kuile lifestyle estate in Kuils River, Cape Town. We are so proud of our female staff’s significant contributions to the overall success of our developments

For Women’s Month 2022, we celebrated the graduates of our partnership bricklaying training program with Corobrik. By recognising and supporting women in this field, we are breaking gender stereotypes and hope to inspire others to pursue careers in construction and related industries.

Changing Communities

We have also made impact on our local communities and collaborated on various initiatives focused on empowering women in different sectors.

The Balwin Foundation partnered with Abalimi Bezekhaya in the Western Cape to train over 50 community members in gardening and food sustainability. Participating women and youth received essential resources like training manuals and starter kits containing seeds, seedlings, manure, and fertiliser. This initiative created opportunities for women to enhance their skills and create food security within their community.

We also partnered with African Women in Agriculture (AWiA) for the Thembalami (BAT) Community Garden project in Lombardy East, Gauteng. This innovative initiative addresses unemployment and urban food security challenges by empowering women in Alexandra township with skills to create and maintain urban vertical vegetable gardens.

Through these various initiatives and partnerships, we are able to empower women, promote gender equality, and invest in women’s professional growth and success in South Africa. As they continue to lead the way, we are hopeful that more South Africans find inspiration to join the journey towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

To be part of our journey to empower women and foster equality in South Africa, click here