LACE, RIBBONS & RESISTANCE

Don’t be surprised if you find a bra hanging proudly alongside country flags on top of the world’s highest peaks. South African Angela Yeung is making a powerful statement against gender-based violence in the most unexpected places.

- By Eleanor le Riche

‘Iam preparing for a monumental expedition, so things have been chaotic, juggling training and work simultaneously,’ says Angela Yeung, founder of the Impilo Collection Foundation.

The expedition she’s referring to? Climbing Mount Everest.

As a jewellery designer who confesses to hating camping — ‘I tell my husband that the only stars I want to sleep under are five stars!’ — Angela has set out to conquer the world’s highest peaks.

Her main motivation is to raise awareness of gender-based violence.

Parental care

Angela wears many hats: award-winning jewellery designer, wife, mother, philanthropist and, most recently, mountaineer. Born in Hong Kong, she came to South Africa as a child with her father. She had a difficult childhood, which affected her deeply. ‘It even impacted my own marriage and my relationship with my daughter.’

Angela's childhood experiences mirror those of many South Africans. According to a 2019 report by the South African Human Rights Commission, an estimated 3.7 million children in South Africa lived without parental care, with many residing in child-headed households. Furthermore, an article published in The South African Child Gauge (2024), an annual publication by the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town, reported that 44% of children lived only with their mothers, 4% lived only with their fathers, and 21.3% did not live with either parent.

Growing up without one or both parents can have a profound impact on a person's emotional and psychological wellbeing. Research shows that children who lack parental guidance often struggle with forming secure relationships, suffer from low self-esteem, and are at a higher risk of mental health issues. They may also face financial instability, and lack access to education and opportunities that would enable them to break the cycle of poverty.