They say not all heroes wear capes; however, some do wear kindness and compassion and have love for the community.

That’s exactly the story of Dora Rapai, a philanthropist by heart and a teacher by profession whose work has been recently honoured at the Women of Wonder Project Academy.

Dora, along with 10 other women in business or charitable organisations, was honoured at a ceremony held in Sandton in November, where they were bestowed with awards for being formidable and inspiring to their peers.

During the awards, Dora also claimed the Kindness Ambassador Award. This wasn’t the first time she was being recognised; in 2023, she won the Women of Purpose Award.

“I feel very happy and humbled to have been recognised as a woman in my community. I wish I could do more,” she said, beaming with pride.

She started her foundation, Connectedor, four years ago, and it quickly grew to be a beacon of hope for many in the community.

The foundation focuses on distributing sanitary towels to young girls who often miss school, and she also takes children to free swimming lessons to promote water safety.

“Those who have learned how to swim are encouraged to join the Florida Lake Canoeing Club. I started this foundation to alleviate period poverty, unemployment, high pregnancy rates, and drownings.”

As a teacher, she also encourages taking science because she said there’s often a gap in that department.

Going forward, she expressed a desire to organise more sanitary drives, to establish mentorship programmes aimed at young men, and, above all, to ensure that children have safe swimming opportunities.