We do design fro paper to actual fabric, we also do alterations on already designed clothes for our clients, we do matric dance outfits. We have all types of clients from government officials to ordinary people we treat them all the same and they all respect our work.
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
The community of Motherwell they support us a lot including people coming from all different areas of Port Elizabeth. The ladies that I work with they have volunteered their time to come and assist me.
The challenges
To promote self sufficient living and show my community that being unemployed does not necessarily mean you have to go to bed with an empty stomach. I also transfer the skills that I have to the ladies that I work with including my own kids to teach them independency.
Addressing the challenges
The people that I work with their kids school uniform they sew it themselves and I don't charge them anything, including any alterations that they need to be done on their own or family items. Through this project we are able to put food for our families. We also provided training for people that are interested in designing clothes.
The achievements
The ladies are now able to unpick clothing, iron fabric before and after sewing, to use a sewing machine and build fabric from scratch without my supervision and that for me is a big accomplishment because it shows that by volunteering with me they have actually gained something and that maybe one day they will have the resources to do their own thing independently from from me.
Token Project / Move One Million
Johannesburg, South Africa