crafts at winterton

the zimele crafts program is a vital part of the organization that employs the women of winterton to produce craftswork such as beaded pens, necklaces, keychains, bags and a variety of decorative items. there is quite a bit of emphasis on expanding this operation to become more fully functional as a commercial enterprise – focusing more on quality control and export – which aims to bring high quality craft products to a marketplace that can reach beyond the local community and potential tourist hubs.

winterton is a beautiful village about 2 hrs from maritzburg and falls right beneath the backdrop of the drakensberg mountains. although the strains of poverty are highly visible and similar to those of swayimane, i can’t help but notice a stark difference in the general cleanliness of the area – less refuse lying around the roads and border lines, as well as better spaced out land property. it is possible that there is a much higher level of government involvement and investment in this area due to its proximity to the berg and the rich farm economy surrounding the townships, but whatever the reason – i can sense that there is a uniquely strong spirit of creativity and an insatiable hunger for a better life.

at noon, audrey and i met up with zama – a young energetic girl who has been training under zimele as a community facilitator and has already played a key role in spreading the creation of new self-help savings groups among the crafts women. although the crafts program at winterton has been running its course through the talents and work-ethic of these women, they have also identified the potential benefits of social accountability and group savings that would reinforce both their businesses and general well-being. i would be remiss, however, if i did not mention betta – the driving force behind the entire crafts program. betta is a remarkable afrikaans women who has lived with the bushmen for 15 yrs, and is now devoting her life and passion for crafts to the women of this wonderful community. she continues to play an enormous role in developing the next phase of crafts and is currently working with both rosetta and stefan to devise a roadmap that will set the stage for higher-quality commercialization and long-term sustainability.

together with audrey and zama, we visited the ‘isibonelo’ group at the crafts center – who were busy sewing bags and christmas angels, and also busy accepting my payments for each . this group of 7 has been able to collectively save R1218 (R220 cash on hand) that has been used to provide for various social needs such as food and school fees, as well as to fund raw materials and livestock for individual businesses that range from chicken farms to clothing re-sale. we were pleased to hear how these women were utilizing the group savings to better their lives socially and actively building assets around their individual businesses on top of their crafts effort. likewise, ‘thuthukani’ – a group of 10 members who specialize in beadwork – have already saved over R1000 since march. they too have managed to utilize loans to stimulate their own small businesses such as selling eggs and sweets, to tobacco products and airtime for mobile accounts.

there is a noticeable difference and shift in the general temperament of these women, compared to what i’ve seen in the women of swayimane – though i cannot put my finger on why. perhaps it’s the unique area and infrastructure, or individual family histories that have fostered a more aggressive goal-oriented mindset. i would be interested to find out more – but as a whole, they seem to share an inherent ability to collaborate with one another, utilize their creative drive to produce real tangible results, and with the recent adoption of self-help groups, promote a positive spirit of accountability and well-being.