In-Visible Women ecHo Initiative
Remember. Reimagine. Re-Story.
Transforming Waste into Legacy
Each ecHo Bench is constructed using approximately 200–250 EcoBricks—plastic bottles tightly packed with non-recyclable plastic waste—diverting hundreds of bottles from landfill while creating beautiful, durable community infrastructure.
The benches become places where communities gather, share stories, honour lives and celebrate those whose contributions are often overlooked but never forgotten. The initiative demonstrates how environmental stewardship can become a catalyst for healing, storytelling and social cohesion.
It is a place to:
- Pause
- To remember
- To reflect
- To reconnect
- To acknowledge the women whose love, wisdom, resilience and service continue to echo through generations.
MasterDreamer encourages resilience, stewardship, leadership, entrepreneurship and wellbeing, empowering participants to become active contributors within their homes, workplaces and communities. Corporate Adoption – Building Legacy Together.
Corporate South Africa is invited to adopt and sponsor ecHo Benches as part of their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments.
Click Here to sponsorEach sponsored ecHo Bench represents an investment in:
- Environmental stewardship through plastic waste diversion
- Public spaces that encourage reflection and community connection
- Recognition of women's contributions
- Community storytelling and cultural preservation
- Youth and women's empowerment through MasterDreamer Visionboard Sessions
- Measurable ESG and social impact outcomes
By sponsoring an ecHo Bench, organisations leave a visible and lasting legacy while demonstrating meaningful investment in people, place and planet. A Collaborative Initiative
In-Visible Women ecHo Initiative Collaboration
The In-Visible Women ecHo Initiative is an initiative of The Africa I See NPC, founded by Barbara "AuntyB" Lawrence-Strydom, and is proudly delivered in collaboration with:
- The Green Net
- The African Monarch Group
- Centre for Mental Wellness and Leadership
- Nakanyane Seriti Path Coaching
- She Evolves
Together, these organisations are demonstrating how environmental sustainability, storytelling, leadership and community collaboration can create meaningful and lasting social impact.
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Photo Credits Monica Dart Photography
Achievements of
Barbara Dianah Lawrence-Strydom
Career Accomplishments and Banking Expertise:
Barbara served as a Bank Manager for 18 years, providing mentorship and coaching within the financial sector. She holds a BCOM degree in Business Management.
Awards and Recognition:
Barbara is a justice advocate in the banking sector, and her reach extends across the continent to the first "Ombudsman" help desks at the Central Banks of Tanzania and Uganda. She has received multiple sales and service awards in banking with unique moments represented the KwaZulu Natal province in the Women's Parliament as a bank manager, participating in the initial dialogues of the human trafficking bill.
As a guest speaker at the IPMM Malawi and Chair of the Panel at the Wildscreen Film Festival in Kenya, Barbara's influence extends beyond banking. She has also been a winner and nominee of multiple awards, including being named Best Social Entrepreneur Africa by CWENA in 2018 and a nominee for the GLEBM's Excellence in Leadership Award in 2022.
Barbara is known for her leadership in Landfill Management Operations and her passion for integrated waste management solutions across the continent.
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