About Us
At Lead With Love, we seek to weave together the love and care of pets with the love and care of our neighbor, with each leash representing a lifeline of hope for the local women who make them – hope for their upliftment and empowerment through our commitment to social justice and poverty alleviation.
Our handmade leashes are as beautiful and unique as the relationships and love shared by people and their pets. And just as love has a way of uniting us all in support of the greater good, each leash consists of individual strands woven together to create something both beautiful and practical.
Lead With Love is ultimately a celebration of the power and potential of love.
You might just say it’s a new leash on love!
Hey! I'm Sarah
I’m the proud Founder and Managing Director of Lead With Love and a former obstetric nurse. I’m also mama to my two daughters – and a fur baby, Nala!
Empowering women and addressing social inequality are two inextinguishable passions of mine. Lead With Love was born out of a lifelong desire to support these causes by providing a safe and creative space for women to flourish.
Knowing that we are creating a way to uplift and empower women in need through the love that people have for their pets is the fuel that keeps me going.
I’m so proud of our team of ladies! I’ve watched them learn and grow so much – both in skills and confidence. I’m beyond excited about what we are building together!
Meet The Team
Most of the women on our team reside in Tembisa, the second largest township in the province of Gauteng. Tembisa was established in 1957 when Black South Africans living in Johannesburg were forcefully evicted and relocated during apartheid. The legacy of apartheid in South Africa has been extreme poverty and inequality, both of which continue to plague the country. Tembisa is rife with poverty and overcrowding, gender-based violence, and has limited access to essential utilities services, quality education, and healthcare.
Vuyolwethu
Vuyolwethu is the 6th of Nothemba’s seven children and she is also mama to twin boys and a daughter.
When asked what working with Lead With Love has meant to Vuyolwethu, she said, “Working with Lead With Love means a lot to me. It has enhanced my knowledge and my skills. It has also made a huge impact on me as a person and in my life in a great way, because now I am a better person. I am so happy to be part of such a great team!”
Nothemba
Nothemba is the mother of Vuyolwethu, and along with being mama to her seven children, she is Gogo to 12 grandchildren. Nothemba has brought so much fun and laughter to the mix.
When asked what working with Lead With Love has meant to Nothemba, she said, “Lead With Love welcomed me with love and smiles and has taught me new skills that I am so thankful for!”
Pamela
Pamela lives in the same yard as Progress, so when Lead With Love was ready to grow, Progress invited Pamela to join the team as well. She is mama to her two young daughters and her son.
When asked what working with Lead With Love has meant to Pamela, she said, “It means so much to me, and has helped me to feel like I have become someone.”
Enelis
Ennalise braids hair on the side, so she quickly became one of our master braiders at Lead With Love. She is mama to two babies she forever holds in her heart.
When asked what working with Lead With Love has meant to Ennalise, she said, “Lead With Love has helped me a lot. I now can fulfil my needs and it has taught me to believe in myself. I’m very happy to be with the team!”
Progress
Progress recently lost employment as a domestic worker when the family she worked for immigrated, and she is also adjusting to being a single parent to her daughter and son, after very recently losing her husband to kidney failure.
When asked what working with Lead With Love has meant to Progress, she said, “Lead With Love is more than just a source of income to me – it is a blessing to be part of it. I get to work with caring and empathetic people, and from the first time I arrived there, the welcome that I received from the team was incredible. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve learned to be more compassionate, more patient, more caring, and more loving. Being with Lead With Love is not just work, but therapy too!”
Thelma
Thelma is mama to a little boy and prior to her work with Lead With Love, she had never had a job or any source of stable income.
When asked what working with Lead With Love has meant to Thelma, she said, “Working with Lead With Love means a lot to me and has helped me so much in my life. I really hope that it is successful and grows bigger!”
Shop Our Products
Our products are made from Type III/550 Paracord.
Paracord consists of an outer nylon sheath, which encases a core of inner threads. Paracord comes in a number of thicknesses, colors, and patterns. The different thicknesses are often referred to by the Paracord “Type.” Our leads and collars are made using Paracord Type III, otherwise referred to as 550 Paracord because it has a breaking load of 550 lbs or 249 kg. Paracord is ideal for dog leads and collars due to its strength and durability, but also because it is extremely lightweight. Our products are perfect for puppies and even the most powerful dogs too! Better yet, Paracord is also UV resistant and waterproof – perfect for the coldest of North American winters, and the hottest of African summers!
