👩 She Rises: Rewiring to Rise

She Rises: Rewiring to Rise is the Dr Phil-Afel Foundation's flagship women's empowerment programme — a structured, professionally facilitated journey for women in Hanover Park and surrounding communities. Each cohort takes 15 women through a curriculum spanning mental and emotional healing, physical self-care and women's health, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, legal rights and safeguarding, and identity, purpose, and holistic wellness.

The 2027 programme runs across five full-day sessions from January to May, each built around a central theme:

Acknowledging: Womanhood, Rewiring to Remember, Legal Rights and Safeguarding, Generational Curses.

Healing from Within: Abuse Awareness, Trauma and its Triggers, Mental Health Awareness, Self Awareness and Emotional Resilience.

Healing Holistically: Healthy Relationship with Yourself, Emotional and Spiritual Vibrations, Remaining a Strong Woman, Meditation, Yoga and Sound Healing.

Laying the Foundation: Effective Communication, Building Confidence, Education and CV Building, The Job Search and Mock Interviews.

Empowerment: Physical Self-Care, How to be a Go Getter Woman, Financial Independence, Dance Workshop to awaken the Divine Feminine.

Participants arrive to light refreshments before each session day. Sessions run through the morning and afternoon with breaks and a shared lunch. Transport is arranged for all participants at no cost to them.

Following the five programme sessions, participants do not simply graduate and go. She Rises includes a dedicated continuation phase running from July through November 2027 — six months of ongoing support designed to help graduates apply what they have learned and navigate the road ahead. This includes monthly wellbeing check-ins, employment readiness support, CV refinement, interview preparation, referrals to social services and legal aid where needed, and a peer support community that continues long after the formal programme ends.

We believe that real change takes time. The continuation phase is where the work of the programme meets the reality of everyday life — and where women are held, guided, and encouraged as they take their next steps.

Each session day is facilitated by a team of qualified specialists — psychologists, nurses, financial advisors, attorneys, coaches, and wellness practitioners — all contributing their expertise voluntarily in service of the community.

When women are economically and emotionally empowered, the benefits ripple outward — to their children, their households, and the wider community. She Rises is about more than personal growth. It is about building a stronger, more resilient community from the inside out.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available for companies looking to invest in women's economic participation and community development as part of their CSI commitment. Sponsorship packages range from per-session sponsorship to full programme Title Sponsor. All sponsors are acknowledged across Foundation materials, social media, and the graduation ceremony.

She Rises: Rewiring to Rise is actively recruiting its 2027 specialist team. All roles are voluntary. A session participation stipend of R500 per session facilitated is offered, subject to available funding. All team members sign an NDA before being formally onboarded.

Programme Head — Qualified Psychologist or Psychiatrist (Priority Role): The Programme Head is the most critical appointment before the 2027 cohort can begin. This qualified clinical professional provides overall programme oversight, clinical governance, and participant safety — and supports the Foundation's accreditation pathway. The Programme Head manages all five Group Lead Facilitators and reports directly to the Foundation Executive Director. If you are a registered psychologist or psychiatrist with a passion for community work, we would love to hear from you.

Group Lead — Mental Health & Trauma Support: a Registered Psychologist, Clinical Social Worker, or Counsellor (HPCSA or SACSSP registered preferred) to lead the mental health and emotional wellbeing pillar — covering Abuse Awareness, Trauma and its Triggers, Mental Health Awareness, Self Awareness, and Emotional Resilience.

Group Lead — Women's Physical Self-Care: a Registered Nurse, Midwife, Gynaecologist, Obstetrician, or Women's Health Practitioner (HPCSA registered) to lead physical self-care and women's health sessions in an accessible, non-clinical way — including pregnancy and maternal wellbeing.

Group Lead — Financial Independence and Entrepreneurship: a Financial Advisor, Accountant, Entrepreneur, or Business Coach to lead financial literacy and economic empowerment — covering Financial Independence, CV Building, The Job Search, and connecting graduates with real employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Group Lead — Legal Rights and Victim Support: an Attorney, Advocate, Legal Advisor, or Victim Support Specialist to lead Legal Rights and Safeguarding and Effective Communication in legal contexts — a calm, empathetic communicator with connections to legal aid and victim support services.

Group Lead — Identity, Purpose and Holistic Wellness: a Certified Life Coach, Therapist, Counsellor, or Holistic Wellness Facilitator to lead Womanhood, Rewiring to Remember, Self Awareness, Remaining a Strong Woman, and Building Confidence — the pillar that sets the emotional tone for the entire participant journey. Experience with yoga, sound healing, breathwork, or somatic practices is an advantage.

Email admin@drphilafel.foundation with the role title in the subject line. Initial screening is conducted by the Programme Lead, followed by a final meeting with the Foundation team.