Wivina was a 12th-century Benedictine abbess born in Oisy, France. After declining several marriage proposals, she chose a life of solitude and lived as a hermit in Groot-Bijgaarden, located near Brussels. Following her period of seclusion, she received land from Count Godfrey of Brabant to establish a monastery. She served as the first leader of this religious community, guiding the institution she helped found.