This research aims to empower social entrepreneurs of Mamelodi, a township next to Pretoria, South Africa, by providing training in the graphic design platform Canva. The training focused on enabling participants to create visually engaging content that effectively showcases their projects and initiatives, thereby enhancing communication and increasing visibility within their communities. Over two days, 80 social entrepreneurs participated in hands-on training sessions designed to build competencies in using Canva. A post-training survey was conducted to evaluate participants' skills in utilising the software and their ability to create professional-quality visual materials. The survey also addressed key questions regarding their motivations for using the platform and the challenges they face. The findings reveal significant improvements in technical skills and confidence in utilising visual content for outreach efforts. Furthermore, an emergent theory is proposed regarding the relationship between visual literacy and social entrepreneurship, illustrating how effective communication through design can enhance community initiatives. This research contributes to the understanding of digital literacy in grassroots movements, providing insights that can inform future training programs designed to empower communities through technology.

Keywords: Canva, Digital divide, Social Entrepreneurs, Mamelodi, South Africa.