Biyela – More Than a Jacket
Born from Strength. Made with Purpose.
Born from Strength. Made with Purpose.
In Nguni, Biyela means to protect, to wrap up in care, to shield.
It’s the perfect name for something created with compassion and built for survival.
Biyela is more than a jacket.
It’s a portable shelter, a sleeping bag, a raincoat, and a carry bag – all in one.
Designed to bring warmth, dignity, and hope to those who need it most – whether you’re hiking outdoors or surviving a night on the streets.
Behind every stitch is a story.
In our Women of Worth Sewing Studio, survivors of gender-based violence are rebuilding their lives – one seam at a time.
Through sewing, they earn an income, regain confidence, and find freedom from abuse.
Every Biyela jacket they make is a testament to their strength, resilience, and hope.
💛 Each stitch is a step toward independence.
💛 Each jacket is a symbol of healing and empowerment.
Too many women stay in abusive relationships because they can’t afford to leave. Too many people face freezing nights with nothing to keep them warm. Biyela bridges these two worlds – transforming pain into purpose. It provides livelihoods for women and protection for the homeless.
When you buy one, you help two people at once:
- A woman survivor, earning a dignified income
- A person in need, receiving warmth and shelter
Economic Empowerment: Women gain skills, income, and independence.
Healing and Dignity: Survivors rebuild self-worth and safety.
Social Impact: Each Biyela donated gives warmth, protection, and hope to the homeless.
Community Transformation: Real change through compassion and enterprise.
Why Support Biyela
For individuals, your purchase is an act of kindness that truly matters.
For corporates, it’s a high-impact CSI opportunity – merging empowerment, local manufacturing, and homelessness relief with measurable outcomes and co-branding potential.
Every Biyela sold moves us closer to a South Africa where everyone feels safe, seen, and supported.
✨ Hands that stitch. Hearts that heal. Hope that grows. ✨
Buy. Sponsor. Support.
Because it’s more than a jacket – it’s Compassion in Action.
Empowering Lives
Restoring dignity through skills, support and purpose.
Donate & help
Your kindness equips communities for lasting transformation.
Power in Community
Together, we build safe, resilient futures.
Stories of Hope
Real voices rising beyond trauma into strength.
Purchase a Biyela
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Biyela jacket (BULK BUY)
Price range: R3 495,00 through R10 485,00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Biyela jacket
R699,00 Add to cart
DIALOGUES:
Why These Dialogues Matter
COPESSA’s gender-transformative dialogues directly challenge the cultural and societal norms that underpin GBV. By engaging men, we pre-empt backlash that often arises as women gain economic independence. We help participants understand that true strength lies in empathy, equality, and partnership, not dominance.
Ultimately, our goal is to foster intergenerational dialogues that heal historical wounds, restore dignity, and transform gender relations for future generations.
At COPESSA, we believe that preventing violence against women and children requires an all-of-society approach. It cannot be left to a handful of individuals or organisations. While men are often portrayed only as perpetrators of violence, we cannot tar all men with the same brush. To end gender-based violence (GBV), we must engage men as partners and allies in transformation.
COPESSA hosts structured, multi-session gender-transformative dialogues that bring together men, women, youth, and faith leaders. Transformation does not happen in one sitting; it takes time, trust, and honest reflection. These dialogues create safe spaces for participants to explore attitudes, challenge harmful gender norms, and reimagine healthier relationships. Our work aligns with the World Health Organization’s INSPIRE and RESPECT frameworks, which promote positive masculinities and mutual respect.
The pervasive violence in South Africa – especially by men towards women and children – has deep historical roots. Apartheid’s legacy of oppression, forced removals, and the migrant labour system disrupted traditional family structures and emasculated men through systemic violence and exclusion. This history contributed to hegemonic masculinities – forms of male identity that prize control, aggression, and emotional stoicism, while marginalising men who do not conform.
Today, patriarchal norms still shape many communities, where men assume authority and women are relegated to subordinate roles. Many women remain excluded from household decision-making, even when they are the primary breadwinners. Our formative research in Protea Glen revealed how these dynamics – combined with high unemployment, poverty, and social inequality – fuel cycles of dependency and violence.
COPESSA’s gender-transformative dialogues directly challenge the cultural and societal norms that underpin GBV. By engaging men, we pre-empt backlash that often arises as women gain economic independence. We help participants understand that true strength lies in empathy, equality, and partnership, not dominance.
Ultimately, our goal is to foster intergenerational dialogues that heal historical wounds, restore dignity, and transform gender relations for future generations.
