Managa Pillay – Head of Student Affairs, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.
Image: Supplied
Every year, World Social Work Day, celebrated annually on March 17, offers an opportunity to reflect on a profession that quietly but powerfully shapes the lives of individuals, families, and communities across the world.
In a world increasingly divided by conflict, inequality, displacement, and ecological crises, the 2026 theme “Co-Building Hope and Harmony” is both a reminder and a challenge: that the only sustainable way forward is through cooperation, solidarity, and co-creation.
This reflection becomes especially meaningful when considered alongside the values celebrated on Human Rights Day (21 March). Human rights are not abstract ideals; they are lived realities that must be actively protected, nurtured, and realised. Social work sits at the very heart of this effort.
At the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG), the quiet power of social work becomes particularly visible. OWLAG was founded on the belief that girls - especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds - can become transformative leaders when given the right support, education, and environment. Yet access to education alone is not always enough.
Many young women arrive at our door carrying the weight of complex personal histories shaped by poverty, trauma, gender inequality, or exposure to violence.
Social workers operate in spaces where personal challenges intersect with opportunity. They listen, guide, and advocate. They create safe environments where young women can process their experiences, rediscover their confidence, and begin to see themselves not through the limitations imposed by circumstance but through the possibilities of their potential.
Poverty may have limited access to resources. Gender-based violence may have shaped their understanding of safety and trust. Inequality may have narrowed their sense of what is possible.
Yet with the right support structures, mentorship, and advocacy, these same young women begin to reframe their narratives. They move from surviving to thriving, and eventually to leading.
The student who once doubted her abilities begins to participate more confidently in class discussions, lead student initiatives, or support her peers through similar challenges.
This process reminds us that leadership is often nurtured in the quiet spaces of encouragement, reflection, and care, not just formal spaces.
Social workers also play an essential role in advocating for the broader systems that support women and girls.
Whether working within schools, community organisations, or policy environments, social workers are critical to informing programmes addressing education, safety, and social support.
Investing in social work isn’t just an act of compassion – it is a strategic investment into the very fabric of society.
When women and girls are empowered, communities become stronger, institutions more inclusive, and economies more resilient.
Research consistently shows that when women lead - whether in education, governance, business, or community life - societies experience greater social stability and improved development outcomes.
At OWLAG, the vision is to nurture young women who will go on to become leaders across diverse sectors of society.
Social work forms a vital part of that journey, operating through a quiet power. It doesn’t always command headlines or public recognition, yet its impact is profound and far-reaching.
Each young woman who discovers her voice, overcomes adversity, and steps forward to lead, carries with her the influence of those who quietly supported her along the way.
On World Social Work Day, it is important that we pause to recognise the impact of this critical function. Social workers are not only service providers - they are advocates, mentors, and catalysts for change.
If we are serious about building a future where women lead boldly and societies flourish with justice and compassion, we must continue to value and invest in the profession of social work.
Because sometimes the most powerful leaders are shaped not in moments of visibility, but in the quiet, patient work of those who believe in their potential long before the world does.
Managa Pillay – Head of Student Affairs, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
SATURDAY STAR