Xtraordinary Woman of the Month
Sarah Collins is a South African adventurer, entrepreneur and lifelong social activist. She thrives on challenges and has worked tirelessly over the past two decades to initiate change in the realms of gender-equality and environmental sustainability
The small home business, Wonderbag, has expanded into a global social impact business. It is a dual model company with The Wonderbag Foundation focused on the poorest of the poor and a commercial retail business called Natural Balance. The busy Wonderbag factories produce hundreds of Wonderbags each day to meet local and international demand, especially through the Buy One, Give One partnership with exclusive retail partner, Amazon.com.
For each Wonderbag bought online, one is donated to a rural family in need in Africa. Since the bag has launched in 2008, over 700,000 bags have been distributed throughout Africa to families in need...
Sarah collins: fOUNDER OF THE WONDERBAG
Please tell us a little more about yourself and your journey thus far.
I grew up in rural, apartheid-era South Africa in the 1970s. My childhood inspired my lifework focusing on empowering women living below the poverty line through grassroots efforts. Educated in both the UK and South Africa, I spent much of my school years challenging Apartheid. I returned to Africa to launch and run a horseback riding safari business in Botswana, and have since devoted my life to community projects. Among others, my career has seen me run for political office, set-up my own NGO and help local communities create thriving business to support their livelihood. But my true passion and drive is inspired by my love and belief in the Wonderbag and growing the business.
Please tell us a little about the inspiration behind The Wonderbag.
My “light bulb moment” occurred in 2008 during a rolling power outage resulting from South Africa’s precarious electricity reserves. Wanting to still cook without the need for electricity, I remembered my grandmother taking pots off the stove, wrapping them in blankets and furniture cushions, and hours later having a piping hot, perfectly cooked casserole to serve. This age-old method used the retained heat of the food to complete the cooking process. I started experimenting with heat-retention cooking and came up with a convenient, modernized model called The Wonderbag.
Are you busy with any projects at the moment?
Launching the Wonderbag globally and focused on the USA for 2014. 2015 will be to build the brand and strengthen relationships and execution in Africa with the Wonderbag Foundation.
What is your personal motto?
It’s Okay, and if it’s not OK, it’s not the end
What is it that you are passionate about?
I began with my passion for economic empowerment of Women across Africa. This has led me to meet amazing people from around the world, and my passion has grown into a broader one however not detracting from my core mission. I feel that The Wonderbag is and can be the catalyst that gets people globally looking at innovative solutions to today’s current crises; it doesn’t need to be about top end technology. The Wonderbag is an age old heat retention cooker……so my passion is changing the status quo and showing the world that anyone can achieve anything if you are prepared to look out the box and be fearless!
Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
My father, who taught me from a young age, never to say NO, always make a plan!
What advice would you give your younger self?
Failure is good and as long as you learn from it, you will be fine. Be kind to Sarah like you are kind to your friends.
What inspired you to write?
I wanted to complete that challenging chapter of my life. I also knew that by sharing my story I would open up the space for others to do the same.
Are you busy with any projects at the moment?
I continue to write – I have an active blog, and I am also researching my next non-fiction book. I also share my story through speaking engagements.
Read more on www.XtraordinaryWomen.co.za