Have you ever been struck by an idea you believed could make a difference in the lives of many? At some point, each of us has been passionate about an idea. However, for most, they remain mere thoughts. Sarah Walker, the founder of Socially Gathering, was no exception.
Driven by a deep desire to create a space where women could feel safe, connect and embrace life together. In November 2023, she took a courageous step, turning her idea into reality.Then with just one TikTok video, Socially Gathering was born.
Born and bred in Durban, Sarah, initially pursued studies in the film industry upon relocating to Cape Town. However, after securing her first job on set, she realised it wasn’t her lifelong passion and pivoted into marketing. While traveling in Bali, she jotted down an idea in her journal about what she dared to build when she returned to Cape Town. Having spent almost a decade in the city, she felt the need to expand her social circle. This desire led to the creation of Socially Gathering – a supportive community of females across South Africa.
The idea behind Socially Gathering is simple: create a safe space for women from different backgrounds to make friends in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This is achieved through curated community events that allow women to connect while exploring the city. The first event was a walk on Sea Point Promenade in November 2023, drawing around 40 women.This walk marked the genesis of a burgeoning community, leading to the creation of a WhatsApp group. Within a mere two weeks, the group had reached its limit with approximately 2,000 women having joined. To contain the growing community, additional platforms including a Telegram group, Facebook group and Instagram page were established. All the meet-ups are communicated on these closed groups to give the women a sense of security that everyone attending the events is there for the same reasons – to connect.
The Promenade walk has become a monthly event that takes place on a Saturday morning. Other events have emerged since including hikes, braais, a wellness day, and a Galentine’s Day event. The community of women organically started organising their own meet-ups, such as reinforcing the core concept behind Socially Gathering: the necessity for safe spaces where women can connect, build each other up, and ultimately change the landscape of how women see each other.
With participants hailing from diverse backgrounds, and women spanning the globe from Canada to Zambia, Namibia, and Germany, there is a keen interest for Socially Gathering to launch in other parts of the country. Looking ahead, Sarah hopes to extend the Socially Gathering community into Johannesburg or Pretoria and even expand internationally into Australia. She envisions nurturing a team that can walk this journey of growth with her, forging partnerships with like-minded organisations across the city.
If you are interested in joining this growing community, check out the Socially Gathering pages on Instagram and Facebook.
