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A growing women’s wellbeing movement on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast is bringing entrepreneurs, wellness professionals, creatives and community leaders together this Women’s Month to challenge the idea that self-care is simply an indulgence.
The Scottfin Revive Selfcare Summit takes place in Pennington on Saturday, 29 August, with a programme built around connection, movement, nourishment and practical wellbeing.
Founded by South Coast entrepreneur Laverne De Jager, the Coastal Selfcare Movement has grown from a local initiative into a wider conversation about what happens when women spend so much time caring for families, building careers, running businesses and supporting communities that they begin to neglect themselves.
This year, De Jager will be joined by women including philanthropist and speaker Rachel Kolisi, chef and entrepreneur Kayla-Ann Osborn and local wellness professionals, with women-led businesses across the South Coast also playing a role in bringing the summit together.
From a local idea to a growing movement
For De Jager, the idea behind the movement came from seeing how many women were simply running on empty.
“It began because we saw too many women running on empty. Women are the heartbeat of families, businesses and communities, yet they’re often the last people to receive care themselves,” she said.
“We wanted to create something that reminds women that investing in themselves isn’t selfish, it’s essential. When women are restored, everything around them becomes stronger.”
Following the inaugural summit earlier this year, organisers have reworked the experience rather than simply repeating the original format.
Women attending the August event will participate in conversations, movement sessions, creative workshops, food experiences, practical wellness activities and opportunities to connect with each other.
The aim is to send women home with more than inspiration, but with practical ideas they can incorporate into their lives after Women’s Month has ended.
Women bringing different perspectives to the table
The women involved in this year’s summit represent different areas of business, wellness, food and community.
Rachel Kolisi will take part in a Fireside Chat exploring the realities of women caring for everyone around them while often placing themselves last.
While Kolisi brings a nationally recognised voice to the programme, the summit is also putting South Coast women and their businesses firmly in the spotlight.
Chef and entrepreneur Kayla-Ann Osborn, owner of Kayla-Ann’s Restaurant, will explore the relationship between food, nourishment and wellbeing.
Osborn was recently recognised as one of South Africa’s Eat Out Neighbourhood Gems for 2026.
For her, food is about far more than what lands on the plate.
“Food is one of the simplest ways we care for ourselves and for the people we love,” Osborn said.
“Around every table, conversations happen, friendships grow and families reconnect. Self-care isn’t always about slowing down completely, sometimes it’s about creating moments that feed both the body and the soul.”
Deidre Van Heerden Physiotherapists will bring another dimension to the day through practical wellness advice, while the programme will also feature Power Circle conversations with local leaders, movement sessions, creative workshops, styling experiences and networking.
Women supporting women in business
The collaboration extends beyond the women taking part in the programme.
Umdoni Point Coastal Forest Estate, where the summit will be held, is home to a collection of women-owned businesses including Revive Coastal Luxury Spa, Deidre Van Heerden Physiotherapists, Kayla-Ann’s, Italian Club and The Pennington Pantry.
It means the Women’s Month event is also becoming a showcase for women already building businesses and creating opportunities on the South Coast.
Rather than only speaking about women supporting other women, the summit brings entrepreneurs, health professionals, creatives and community leaders into one space, allowing them to share their expertise, platforms and audiences.
Scottfin Insurance Brokers and Umdoni Point Coastal Forest Estate have come on board as sponsors, helping the movement extend its reach while remaining rooted in the South Coast community.
Putting the South Coast on the wellness map
The location itself forms part of the experience.
Umdoni Point Coastal Forest Estate offers indigenous coastal forest, ocean views and open spaces, providing a natural setting for conversations about slowing down, reconnecting and prioritising wellbeing.
It also points to another potential opportunity for the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.
While the region is already known for its beaches, outdoor experiences and holiday destinations, events combining wellness, food, nature and local hospitality could contribute to its growing appeal as a wellness tourism destination.
The summit brings many of those elements together, from locally owned businesses and food experiences to wellness professionals and the natural environment.
Self-care beyond Women’s Month
As Women’s Month draws to a close, the Coastal Selfcare Movement is encouraging women to rethink where their own wellbeing sits on their list of priorities.
The message is not that women need to step away from their families, careers, businesses or ambitions in order to take care of themselves.
Instead, it asks whether looking after themselves might be part of what allows them to continue doing all of those things.
For the South Coast women bringing the movement together, self-care is being reframed as something much bigger than an occasional treat.
It is about connection, resilience and creating space for women to care for themselves with the same intention they so often give to everyone else.
Event details
Event: Scottfin Revive Selfcare Summit 2026
Theme: Reconnect. Reignite. Rise.
Date: Saturday, 29 August 2026
Time: 10am to 2pm
Venue: Umdoni Point Sports & Leisure, Umdoni Point Coastal Forest Estate, Pennington
Presented by: Revive Coastal Luxury Spa
Headline sponsor: Scottfin Insurance Brokers
Tickets: R350 through Revive Coastal Luxury Spa or Quicket
Book tickets: https://qkt.io/Ij0VqL
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