Angela Yeung’s Everest Climb Fuels National Women’s Month Drive - 2,100 Bras Still Needed to Reach the Summit of Hope

As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month 2025, the Impilo Collection Foundation is calling on citizens, corporates, and communities to help close the gap — 2,100 bras short of their symbolic goal of collecting 8,849 bras — one for every metre of Mount Everest.

This bold campaign, led by mountaineer, jewellery designer, ambassador of Brand South Africa and philanthropist Angela Yeung, continues to shine a light on the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Angela, one of the few South African women to summit Everest’s treacherous North Side, dedicated her climb to the millions of GBV survivors in South Africa and beyond.

“Climbing Everest was about showing that survivors of violence can rise, heal, and reclaim their power,” said Yeung. “Now, during Women’s Month, we ask South Africans to help us reach the summit of this mission — 8,849 bras for dignity, awareness, and solidarity.”

The bras, collected across nine provinces, will become part of ‘EmpowerHer: Bras for Humanity’, a powerful travelling National art exhibition launching during 16 Days of Activism 2025. This moving display — featuring bras as symbols of oppression, liberation, and resilience — will tour public spaces, corporate atriums, and civic venues, before being donated to shelters and underserved communities.

Angela’s journey also extended beyond Everest. After summiting, she came back to South Africa during Mandela Month, reinforcing the Impilo Collection Foundation’s mission: Uplift 1 million lives by 2035 through EmpowerHer, EmpowerHim, and EmpowerThem.

Reading Buddies & School Outreach As part of the #EmpowerThem initiative, the Foundation launched Reading Buddies Programs across Gauteng and Limpopo. Together with Read2Rise, we donated 150 books to Vukani Primary School, where volunteers broke into six groups to read with learners and ask comprehension questions — encouraging students to not just read, but to understand. At Emadlelweni Primary School, we donated 400 books to their library, alongside 130 skipping ropes and 100 stationery packs for Grade 7 learners. Each Social Warrior spent time in classrooms from Grade 3 to Grade 5, reading and engaging with children, with the principal expressing heartfelt appreciation for both the resources and the quality time spent with the learners.

Community Care at Nanga Vhutshilo The Foundation also visited the Nanga Vhutshilo Community Centre, donating tissue paper, oils, stationery, and books to support their aftercare and ECD programmes, helping ensure children receive both education and daily essentials.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT THIS WOMEN’S MONTH

• Donate a Bra: Gently used or new bras can be dropped off at collection points (details on www.impilofoundation.org)
• Contribute R25: Sponsor a new bra for a woman in need
• Volunteer: Join the Social Warrior Network to help with events and exhibitions
• Corporate Partners: Sponsor the travelling exhibition and host an EmpowerHer installation

“We are not just collecting bras — we are collecting voices, stories, and strength. Together, let’s summit this mountain of change.” – Angela Yeung