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Our Story
A Vision
The Dignity Campaign started with Aukje Brouwer when at aged 9, her journey with the Bible began. Stories of Jesus restoring, renewing, and affirming God-given dignity were captivating. In particular, Ruth 2:8-9, where Boaz shows respect for Ruth, ignited the concept of "dignity" in her heart.
23 years later, during a sabbatical, Aukje deeply explored the concept of dignity, particularly for girls and women. The revelations were unsettling: gender-based violence and other harrowing practices highlighted the urgent need to address dignity. In the midst of this exploration, a strong cry arose: "This Dignity baby must be born."
This moment of inspiration led to the creation of the Dignity Campaign in 2012, with a focus on preserving and restoring dignity for all people
Early Days
In 2015, the Dignity Campaign took its first significant step forward with sponsorship from the 'Evangelic Broadcasting' television network in Holland, which enabled us to pilot a project for 1,500 girls in South Africa. The focus of the pilot was introducing these girls to the menstrual cup, a practical tool aimed at improving menstrual health and dignity.
The Dignity Campaign travelled South Africa, visiting communities, educating girls, and sharing the benefits of this sustainable and empowering solution. This trip sparked a realization: South Africans could lead the way in restoring the dignity of their own communities. This became the foundation of the Dignity Campaign and started the idea of providing training for people.
Women and Men
By 2018, six years into our journey, we recognized that restoring dignity for women couldn’t happen without involving men and boys. To address this, we launched the Dare Program, challenging boys and young men to rethink societal norms and dare to be different—to lead with respect, responsibility, and empathy.
The program aimed to engage boys in conversations about dignity and break down toxic masculinity, emphasizing their role in creating a more respectful, equitable society.
With the Dare Program alongside our work with girls, we began fostering a more holistic approach to dignity—empowering both women and men to work together for lasting change.
International
As the years passed, the Dignity Campaign's programs and resources expanded, reaching more and more local communities across South Africa. Through training sessions, workshops, and outreach, we were able to inspire and equip individuals and communities to join our vision of restoring dignity and empowering people.
In 2019, we took a significant step beyond South Africa—hosting our first international training session in Namibia. This milestone marked the beginning of our broader impact, as we shared our model for empowering communities and equipping leaders to champion dignity in their own contexts.
New Director
Now, the Dignity Campaign is entering an exciting new chapter. Crystal Kannemeyer, a dedicated and passionate core member of our team, has stepped into the role of Executive Director, marking a significant milestone in our journey.
As we look to the future, we remain focused on our mission: to restore dignity, to equip individuals with life-changing skills, and to create awareness about the importance of dignity in every life.