South Africa: Sunrise Campaign Awards recognise women entrepreneurs

The Sunrise Campaign Awards 2026, held alongside the Voice & Choice Summit and Awards Johannesburg from 15–17 March 2026, marked a significant step forward in advancing women’s economic empowerment across South Africa.

At the heart of the Awards are women reclaiming their futures through entrepreneurship -  turning determination, creativity and hard work into thriving small businesses.

As Naledi Masipa, Sunrise Campaign Manager at Gender Links, explains:
“Economic power is a cornerstone for breaking the cycle of gender-based violence. When women have the means to earn, save and build their futures, they gain choices - and violence loses its hold. The Sunrise Campaign is living proof of how investing in women changes communities, shifts mindsets and lays the foundation for systemic solutions to gender inequality and violence.”

The Awards mark the culmination of a year-long provincial summit series across the Western Cape, Limpopo, Northern Cape and Gauteng. From these gatherings, 34 entrepreneurs advanced to the regional summit, bringing powerful stories of rebuilding, growth and transformation.

Eight awards - three winners and five runners-up - recognised outstanding women entrepreneurs whose journeys reflect resilience, innovation and a commitment to building sustainable livelihoods.

The Awards celebrate excellence at different stages of the entrepreneurial journey. The Start-Up Entrepreneur Award honours women in the early stages of building their businesses, while the Established Entrepreneur Award recognises those who have grown sustainable enterprises that create economic opportunities for themselves and others.

Start-Up Category
Winner: Fagmeeda Bezuidenhout
Runners-up: Matshe Rens; Priscilla Ngobeni; Adeleth Valoyi

Established Category
Winners: Olga Morweng; Lydia Seotsa
Runners-up: Makhotso Zengele; Cecilia Williams

Through the Sunrise Campaign, women receive training, mentorship and peer support to develop entrepreneurial ideas into sustainable livelihoods. Participants are building and expanding businesses across diverse sectors - from catering and agriculture to beauty, tailoring, retail and service enterprises - reflecting the breadth and innovation of women entrepreneurs across South Africa.

Beyond individual recognition, the Awards highlight the wider impact of the Sunrise Campaign in transforming lives, strengthening local economies and advancing gender equality. Supporting women entrepreneurs not only creates pathways out of vulnerability, but also contributes to ending gender-based violence by expanding women’s choices, independence and agency.

Having reached over 3,000 survivors across the region, the Sunrise Campaign continues to demonstrate how integrated support — combining life skills, entrepreneurship training and local government partnerships — can move women from survival to thriving.

For more information, contact Naledi Masipa, Sunrise Campaign manager, samanager@genderlinks.org.za