Using creative, people-centred methods, Red Thread enables individuals and groups to find their voice — whether in search of personal renewal or confronting systemic obstacles through craftivism and policy integrity.
“Cloth and thread as instruments of testimony, collective healing, and social justice.”
Cloth, thread, and lived experience: how Barbara Schreiner brings marginalised narratives from hidden corners into public dialogue.
“Objects become arguments and evidence, inviting viewers to confront what official narratives leave unaddressed.”
— Barbara Schreiner“Change is stitched together one thread, one story, one voice at a time, whether through groups working together or individuals pursuing personal development.”
Red Thread works at the intersection of craft, art, writing, and social change. We use creative methods — rooted in South African storytelling and Chilean craftivism traditions — to amplify the voices of those too often left unheard, and to open new ways of confronting the challenges of an unequal society.
Alongside this, we offer consulting for change — particularly in the water sector — and build capacity for transformational leadership through coaching and mentoring. Our work spans social and environmental justice, including water integrity, using people-centred, creative processes that bring communities together, surface lived experience, and turn testimony into change.
“Feel free to contact me to set up an exploratory conversation to discuss your context and needs.”
Rooted in Chilean arpillera traditions and South African storytelling. We use cloth, thread, and creative writing as instruments of testimony, collective healing, and social justice.
For leaders and professionals navigating burnout, career redirection, or habits holding them back; and for teams undergoing organisational restructuring. Offered in person or online.
Thirty years inside environmental policy and public leadership. We advise governments, NGOs, and utilities on institutional integrity, water tenure, anti-corruption, and equity frameworks.
Former Deputy Director General at South Africa's Department of Water Affairs, Executive Director of the Water Integrity Network (WIN), steering committee member of the Open Government Partnership and OECD Water Governance Initiative, and member of South Africa's National Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee.
Author of two novels, a biography, poetry, and editor of a landmark collection of South African women’s prison writings.
Water poverty is not only about scarcity or infrastructure. It is about who controls resources, whose voice is heard in decision-making, and whose needs are treated as optional.
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Two decades of work on integrity in the water sector have shown that corruption is not a side issue — it is a direct cause of failed services, inequality, and lost trust.
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Blended finance is often presented as a silver bullet for water and sanitation funding. This article explores where it helps, where it risks distorting priorities, and what integrity demands.
Read Article→Whether you are seeking executive coaching through institutional transition, exploring a community craftivism workshop, or addressing water governance challenges, we welcome a direct conversation.
