As Sarah Waller prepared to move back to Cape Town at the end of 2023, she faced a daunting reality: most of her friends had left the city and a deep sense of isolation began to creep in. Instead of sitting with that anxiety, she posted a raw TikTok about her loneliness. It went viral. Recognising a collective craving for connection, Sarah invited a few women for a walk on Sea Point promenade. She expected two or three people to pop by; instead, 30 showed up, and Socially Gathering was born: a space for women to find genuine friendship.
What Happened Next?
By early 2024, Savannah Cozzi joined as co-founder, adding a powerful new layer – creating supportive, inclusive spaces for women to network in business. Together, they transformed the platform into a multi-layered community of friendship, business, creativity and connection.
Through curated social events, practical workshops and their professional networking division, She Means Business, they host real-world gatherings designed to help women drop their guard, find genuine friendship, secure jobs or even launch business partnerships. “Since our existence at the end of 2023, we have hosted 160+ events, reaching near 6 500 women in person and over 60 000+ women through our social media and online community groups. We are currently based in JHB and CT and do pop up across the country with the hope to have more permanent bases in other cities,” says Sarah.
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For Sarah and Savannah, connection isn’t something that just happens organically as an adult – it requires effort. “Modern life has made us hyper-individualistic, but community doesn’t work like that,” Savannah explains. “It’s slow, intentional and reciprocal. You have to show up and support others to build a strong village.” Today, their space gives women permission to show up fully as themselves, get offline and find their people.
Below, they share more about Socially Gathering, how it came to be and how it continues to change women’s lives.
1. What first sparked the idea for Socially Gathering, and what gap or need were you hoping to fill?
Sarah: When I was living abroad and preparing to move back to Cape Town at the end of 2023, I was honestly terrified. Most of my friends had left the city, and the closer I got to moving home, the more I realised I didn’t really have anyone left here.
The feelings of isolation and loneliness started creeping in, and the anxiety around that became overwhelming.
So, as any good digital marketer would, I took to TikTok and shared exactly how I was feeling. The video went viral. Suddenly, I wasn’t alone. I realised how many other women felt the same way, how many of us were craving connection, friendship and community.
That’s when I decided to invite a few ladies for a walk on the promenade. I thought maybe two or three people would come. Instead, 30 women showed up. And that’s how Socially Gathering was born, a space for women to find genuine friendship.
When Savannah joined the business at the start of 2024, she brought a new layer of intention. She wanted to expand Socially Gathering beyond friendship and create inclusive, meaningful spaces for women to connect in business too. She had struggled to find those spaces herself, and she knew other women felt the same.
Together, Socially Gathering became the embodiment of what both of us were looking for: For me: a space to find female friendship. For Savannah: a space for intentional, supportive networking in business.
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2. Was there a specific moment where you realised just how disconnected or lonely many people were feeling?
Sarah: For me, it wasn’t one single moment, it was a pattern I kept noticing. I’d be surrounded by successful, driven women who, on the surface, seemed to have it all together, but in conversation they’d admit they hadn’t made a real new friend in years. There’s this strange paradox where women are more connected online than ever, yet more isolated in real life.
The moment it really hit me was a TikTok video that took off unexpectedly. Over 100 women from all across South Africa flooded the comments sharing their experiences of loneliness, and these weren’t just a few words, they were real, raw stories. Women from different cities, different walks of life, all saying the same thing: I don’t have my people… I realised that adult women aren’t often given the space or the ‘permission’ to actively seek out female friendship, it can feel vulnerable, even embarrassing to admit you’re lonely. We talk so openly about dating but almost never about the loneliness of not having your people around you.
3. What has surprised you most about the way people respond to in-person connection and community?
Savannah: Once people have experienced one of our events or been a part of the community, they realise how much they actually need it and how vital it is for one’s overall joy. We have often had women come to our events and said they have been wanting to attend an event for the longest time but felt so nervous. Yet after they did attend they are so irritated with themselves that it took them so long to attend because they loved it so much! We are all humans and humans need to be engaging beyond just a phone or computer screen, we need to feel someone’s emotions, understand what they are going through, feel connected through stories or mutual feelings and laugh together. I always say that at the end of the day, the most important thing in life is your relationships with people!
4. What do you think people are truly searching for when they attend a Socially Gathering event?
Savannah: Beyond the notion of community, women are looking for a space where they feel seen, heard and valued. What makes Socially Gathering unique is our focus on being intentional and inclusive. Our goal is never to have the most Instagrammable event, our goal is to make sure that every women regardless of your background, where you come from, your job – you feel this space is for you and you connect with like-minded women.
As women we all want the same things at these sort of engagements, to learn, to meet someone new but often networking events don’t feel as welcoming and safe as you had hoped. Women want permission to show up as themselves fully and to feel inspired, supported and celebrated for who they are. I always say at our events – you do not need to be nervous being here because we ALL want the same thing, you are not forced to chat to that random guy at the office at the after-work drinks, you have chosen to be here and that makes connecting sooooo much easier.
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Savannah: The testimonials are everything to us. We have had women share with us that they made their best friends through SG or that they secured funding for their business, we have had women tell us that bridesmaids at their wedding were from girls they met at SG, we have had women tell us they have secured jobs from skills they learnt at our events or women tell us that they started a business with someone who they met at SG. We have so many beautiful stories that have come as a result of Socially Gathering and it is never lost on us that our events and workshops can be transformative in women’s lives and that is what we are most proud of.
6. What has building this platform taught you about friendship, adulthood and connection?
Sarah: It has taught me that female friendships are probably the most underrated relationships in a woman’s life. We put so much energy into romantic relationships, into our careers, into family, but the communities of women around us? Those are the ones that quietly make everything else easier to manage.
Adulthood has a way of making friendship feel like a luxury rather than a necessity, but I’ve come to believe it’s actually the opposite. It’s part of why we created our professional networking division She Means Business. Because the more women you know, the more likely you are to bring up another woman’s name in a room of opportunity. Community isn’t just emotional support, it’s practical, it’s powerful, and it’s how women lift each other forward.
That’s the shift I’ve watched happen in our members, and honestly in myself too.
Savannah: Have you heard the quote: “Everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager?” I think that is the core of community. Being part of a community means it’s about mutual support and showing up. You do not just get the benefit by waiting for it to come you or go to one event and think that community is going to come as a result, you also have to show up and support others to build a strong, meaningful community. Modern life has made us hyper-individualistic, everything is about convenience, speed, and self-focus. But community doesn’t work like that. It’s slow, intentional, reciprocal and the more you become a villager, the more you see the growth of your village.
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8. Complete this sentence: “The biggest breakthrough I’ve had is…”
Sarah: The biggest breakthrough I’ve had is seeing, firsthand, just how transformative a room full of the right women can be. Friendships formed at our events have turned into business partnerships, job opportunities, support systems, it goes so far beyond what we could have imagined.
9. Why do you think so many adults struggle to make new friends?
Sarah: I think it comes down to two things: vulnerability and patience. As adults, we’ve forgotten that friendship takes time, real, repeated time together. We expect instant connection, but that’s not how deep relationships are built. Think about how we made friends in school. You didn’t choose your best friend, you just sat next to someone every single day, and that proximity did the work. Friendship formed naturally because the structure of life created consistent contact.
Adult life strips that away. We’re busy, we’re guarded, and we’ve become uncomfortable with the vulnerability it takes to say ‘I’d like to get to know you better.’ So instead, we wait for connection to happen organically, and wonder why it never does.
10. What advice would you give someone who feels isolated but doesn’t know where to start socially?
Savannah: The best piece of advice I got last year was five words: “Get out of your house”. In the moment, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around them but as time passes I understand them deeper. Anything in life requires you to get out of your comfort zone, get offline and get trying. Whilst I do think connection can be fostered through online communities and social media – it is the in person engagement where you are truly going to connect with someone on a human level. So set a challenge, go to one event, chat to one person and the more you set little goals, the bigger goals become easier and in time you find your people. But keep showing up (and leave your comfort of your home).
11. What small habits or mindset shifts help people become more open to connection?
Savannah: I truly believe it is all in the small things, so if you are scared to be brave, think about what sort of actions you can take towards “micro-bravery”. Can you say ‘Hi’ first, are you able to walk into a conversation by yourself, are you able to sit with the discomfort of not being on your phone when conversation is harder? Try being micro-brave and then you will be able to be brave and do the “scarier” things!
Another really good tip I think people undermine is say “yes” to new friends and new adventures, if someone you just met invites you to coffee, go.. Do not make an excuse! Being open to new opportunities is a vital part of connection. Being curious and courageous go hand in hand but also it is important to understand that when you do put yourself out there it is not going to be perfect, you are not going to meet your best friend or business partner immediately; you might get rejected and things might be messy but you have to be open, available and willing to grow.
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12. What’s next for Socially Gathering?
Savannah: When Sarah and I became co-founders, we had one vision: to be the biggest and best female networking in South Africa. I’d like to think (unbiasedly), we are moving with haste towards that goal! In addition, it is about evolving as a multi-layered community of friendship, business, creativity and connection. We hope to grow our events, create more inclusive access points, evolve our offerings and truly embody what it means for women to show up for each other in this country. As we expand across the country, who knows what’s next, the world?
Find out more and join the movement at sociallygathering.com.
This article first appeared in the Jul + Aug 2026 Issue of Women’s Health South Africa. Words by Kelleigh Korevaar.