For KC Lowther, emotional wellbeing is not an afterthought — it is the foundation on which children's futures are built. As founder and creative director of Heartwood Tales and the Heartwood Foundation, she has spent the past decade reimagining how stories can become practical tools for resilience, empathy and emotional intelligence.

Lowther leads the vision behind Heartwood's growing ecosystem, overseeing everything from children's publishing and curriculum design to educator resources, strategic partnerships and organisational leadership. Through the Heartwood Foundation, she is expanding access to emotional wellbeing education, forging partnerships and securing funding to ensure children in under-resourced communities are not left behind.

Her commitment to children extends far beyond Heartwood. From the Nelson Mandela Children's Parliament and the Youth Vision Assembly in Amsterdam to international medical missions with Operation Smile in Malawi and the Philippines, Lowther has built a career defined by purpose rather than prestige. Collaborations with organisations including Nal'ibali, Days for Girls and CANSA have further shaped her belief that lasting change begins long before crisis intervention.

At just 29, Lowther is proving that storytelling can be more than imagination on a page. In the right hands, it can become a powerful instrument for healing, connection and generational change.