In The News
Twice Honoured, One Inspiring Leader
Dr Lulu Gwagwa, Executive Director of Traversing Liminality, has recently been recognised with two distinguished honours: the Gender Mainstreaming Award in the category of Positive Role Model – Beacon, and a COMENSA Award for Significant Social Impact.
A seasoned leader whose career spans both the public and private sectors, Dr Gwagwa has long been at the forefront of development planning, spatial transformation, and gender advocacy. Beyond her extensive professional achievements, her work with Traversing Liminality has become a defining expression of her commitment to social impact. Through the organisation, she has created transformative spaces that support young women across the African continent and diaspora in navigating transition, building self-mastery, and stepping into leadership.
DR LULU GWAGWA | The representation of the youth in decision-making is a developmental imperative
When young black women are equipped earlier in life to work on mastering who they are, they can understand the source of their beliefs and recognise how their past experiences continue to influence their present.
A few years ago, a young woman, a geographer, wrote a post on social media about the psychological impact that space and place have on black people.
Dr Lulu Gwagwa | Supporting young black women is a clear path to meaningful transformation
When young black women are equipped earlier in life to work on mastering who they are, they can understand the source of their beliefs and recognise how their past experiences continue to influence their present.
A few years ago, a young woman, a geographer, wrote a post on social media about the psychological impact that space and place have on black people.
Traversing Liminality contributes coaching hours toward the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Foundation’s social impact.
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) Foundation launched the Ignite Initiative as part of its strategic plan to accelerate and amplify impact, to leverage the access that ICF-credentialed coaches have in expanding social impact through coaching activities. This project runs over a period of 6 months and extends reduced-rate coaching to encourage the continuation of work that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Traversing Liminality was selected to be part of the cohort that will contribute coaching hours by ICF-credentialed coaches toward this global social impact effort.
Rethinking the empowerment of young African women
The 31st of July marks Africa’s Women’s Day and is observed annually across the continent. It is a day that is earmarked to recognise and affirm the role of women’s organising in achieving the political freedom of Africa and advancing the social and economic status of women on the continent. The proclamation of Africa Women’s Day as a commemorative day was declared 53 years ago at the inaugural conference of the Pan-African Women’s Organization (PAWO) that was held in Dar es Salaam in modern-day Tanzania. While many people know of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor to the African Union (AU), few realise that PAWO was established before the OAU. African women were mobilising, organising, and challenging colonialism and oppression long before men gathered in Ethiopia to form the OAU.
DR LULU GWAGWA | How the absence of safe spaces for Black women forges injustice
“South African women experience mental health problems more acutely than men due to a complex interplay of factors including high rates of violence and abuse, socio-economic challenges, and the disproportionate burden of caregiving responsibilities.”
On the 3rd of August 2018, a young law student at Rhodes University took her own life.