This Women’s Month, Unu Health honours six remarkable women whose work is transforming healthcare access, education, and emotional wellbeing for thousands across South Africa.
When we think of healthcare heroes, we often picture doctors in white coats or overburdened nurses doing impossible work in under-resourced clinics. But this Women’s Month, Unu Health is shining a light on a different kind of healthcare warrior—one whose weapon is her voice, her compassion, and her relentless drive to serve.
From tackling period poverty to breaking taboos around HIV, cancer, and trauma, these women are rewriting the rules—and reminding us that health is not just about medicine. It’s about dignity. It’s about access. And it’s about justice.
“These women aren’t just helping people—they’re changing systems,” says Tania Joffe, founder of Unu Health. “They are having the conversations we’ve been too afraid to start and creating the kind of future where no one is left behind.”
Meet the six incredible women Unu Health is honouring this August:
Sue Barnes
A fashion designer by training, Sue founded Subz Pads & Project Dignity to tackle a hidden crisis: period poverty. Her washable sanitary pads have changed the lives of thousands of schoolgirls who were previously missing class each month.
“No girl should have to choose between her dignity and her education,” says Barnes. “We’re not just giving them pads—we’re giving them a chance.”
Yvette Raphael
Co-founder of the Advocacy for the Prevention of HIV and AIDS (APHA), Yvette is a fierce champion for inclusive, stigma-free healthcare.
“I’m not interested in pity. I’m here for power—for women to own their stories, their bodies, and their health,” she says.
Sehaam Bateman
Growing up in a gang-affected community could have broken her. Instead, it gave her a purpose. Through her organisation Ignite, Sehaam mentors young girls, guiding them away from violence and towards self-worth.
“I tell them, your postcode doesn’t define your potential,” she says. “We’re lighting fires of hope—one girl at a time.”
Dr Judey Pretorius
Founder of Biomedical Emporium, Dr Pretorius is a biomedical scientist pushing the boundaries of wound healing and regenerative medicine. But her work goes deeper than skin.
“Science is only powerful when it’s accessible,” she says. “My mission is to bring innovation to the people who need it most.”
Sally Wellbeloved
A survivor and wellness advocate, Sally supports women facing cancer with holistic care and emotional coaching.
“It’s not just about surviving—it’s about living through the healing,” she says. “And no one should have to do that alone.”
Zanele Mathebula
As a social worker with The Teddy Bear Foundation, Zanele supports abused and traumatised children with unshakeable empathy.
“Our children carry so much pain in silence,” she says. “We have to be the voices that say, ‘I see you. I believe you. And you matter.’”
Each of these women reminds us that healthcare is not just about what happens in hospitals. It’s in the classrooms, the kitchens, the boardrooms—and in every brave conversation that breaks the silence.
“We want to make this an annual tradition,” says Joffe. “There are so many unsung heroes in our communities. If we don’t celebrate them—who will?”
This Women’s Month, Unu Health invites South Africans to speak up, lift each other, and honour the many forms that healing can take.
Join the movement this Women’s Day on the 9th of August.
For more information, please visit www.unuhealth.org