I am Lauren Gillis. I was born and raised in Johannesburg, where a strong commitment to humanity and social justice was instilled in me from an early age.

After studying social work at the University of the Witwatersrand, my 30 year career evolved into forming businesses and philanthropic organizations committed to supporting individuals in reaching their greatest potential. It’s amazing how something so small can do something so big.

I TEDx because I believe that we are all connected, and that each of us has the responsibility and privilege to be an agent of social change. I am passionate that a small handmade connector, a simple string of beads, has remarkable power to restore dignity, hope and resilience to humanity.

My idea worth spreading at TEDxCapeTown 2012 is how we can all create opportunities that change lives, sometimes by doing the smallest things.