Support Women in Tech: Donate to Support She Can Do’s 2026 Design Cohort

The Challenges

The design industry in South Africa is growing — but it’s growing without enough women in the room. Especially women from underserved communities.

Our participants face multiple barriers:
1. They’re often unemployed or underemployed
2. They lack access to formal design education
3. They’re isolated from professional networks
4. And they’re seen as “risky” hires due to lack of experience

That’s where She Can Do steps in — but we can’t meet the demand without support. Every year, we receive more applications than we can accommodate.

Our biggest challenge is funding the core elements that make this program impactful:
- Skilled facilitators and mentors
- Industry mentors who guide learners through portfolio and career prep
- Internet and data support, software licenses, and other learning tools


This program changes lives — but we need help sustaining and scaling it. Your support will help allow us to run free programs, expand our reach, and bring more women into careers that change their future.

Why it matters

For many of our participants, this is the opportunity that changes everything.

They come to She Can Do uncertain — often after months or years of trying to break into the design industry without success. They leave confident, connected, and prepared for real opportunities.

With this funding, we can offer the program completely free to every participant — removing the single biggest barrier to entry: cost.

It also allows us to invest in the parts of the program that make the difference:
1. Personalized mentorship for job-readiness
2. Tools and licenses that match industry standards
3. A team-based structure that builds leadership, not just technical skills
4. Graduation events that connect learners with potential employers

This is more than training — it’s transformation. And the ripple effects go far beyond one person. Many of our graduates become mentors. Some become team leads. All of them help change what leadership looks like in tech.

Your funding doesn’t just help women learn design — it helps them design their own future.

Solution

The solution is clear: Give women the tools, experience, and support they need — and they will thrive.

Our UX/UI Training Program does just that. We provide real-world experience by having learners work on live client projects in teams. They gain practical skills in UX design, prototyping, research, and problem-solving — while also learning to speak up, collaborate, and lead.

Each woman is paired with a mentor who helps her refine her portfolio, build her confidence, and prepare for the job market. By the end of the program, she has a finished case study, a support network, and the clarity to step into her next opportunity.

We host a graduation showcase, where learners present their work to potential employers — turning theory into visibility, and hope into momentum.

Our goal in 2026 is to train at least 50 women across multiple cohorts — while achieving our goal to create free access and personalized support.

With your help, we’ll scale this proven model, build inclusive talent pipelines, and shape a design industry that truly reflects the diversity and creativity of South Africa.