Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

26 June 2025

3-minute read

Visionary leader, integrative healer, and passionate humanitarian, and with a doctorate in acupuncture and metaphysics, Dr Shenaz Ghood has built a career in wellness and community empowerment. She is the founder of the Eid Fest that acts as a springboard for small businesses and startups to showcase their products. Her deep commitment to social impact led to the establishment of the Ghood Foundation, a non-profit organization providing essential support to marginalised communities. Dr Ghood was awarded the Community Builder award by the Minaret Chamber of Commerce for uplifting lives through innovation, compassion and meaningful action.

The Ghood Foundation is the host of the Dignity Store, a shop offering a free and empowering shopping experience to poor individuals and underprivileged families. People come into the store and are given the opportunity to choose clothing items and groceries at no cost.

Dr Ghood says that the Dignity Store came about when reimagining essentials as an act of love instead of charity, giving poor people the opportunity to get their basic requirements in an environment of choice. “People deserve respect no matter their circumstances,” says Dr Shenaz with everything in the store from the layout to the service rooted in dignity and the “volunteers trained to serve from the heart.” It is a moment in time to treat someone the way you would want to be treated.

The Dignity Store buses people in for their shopping experience. Dr Shenaz remembers a group of elderly people from Maraisburg coming in and as they waited to go in, they started making zikr, singing the praises of Allah SWT as a way of showing their gratitude. A lot of little volunteers from entitled backgrounds are trained to work at the store, and Dr Ghood says that all their perspectives change when they have to deal with children from poverty-stricken homes. It creates empathy amongst the volunteers, sharing moments with people in need.

Dr Ghood says they are planning to grow the store in all the different provinces with the right sponsors and partners as “a good kind of road map” – giving people more than just an item but rather giving them a choice. The Ghood Foundation welcomes volunteers and partners.

Prioritising dignity over dependency, Dr Shenaz emphasized the importance of breaking titles and changing the mindset of people to create unity within the ummah. Their aim is to teach those from better backgrounds that despite being underprivileged, marginalised or from poorer upbringings, we are all the same, and every one of our brothers and sisters in this world deserve respect. “Empowering somebody with dignity and choice and respect is exceptionally powerful,” she concluded, “it gives them a huge sense of self-worth.”

Listen to the full interview with Dr Shenaz Ghood here.