MicroBusiness

The goal of the Craft’s Program is to the build crafts and business skills and also to facilitate distribution to local, national, and international markets. Zimele provides vital training, guidance, and resources to facilitate production of crafts products. In Winterton, Zimele has a crafts building that acts as a business hub providing workspace for artisans, product design expertise, warehousing for raw materials, and transportation logistics for finished products.

Craft Artisan Development

Female Crafts Artisan

Zimele trains artisans to make items such as handbags, embroidered notebook covers, beaded pens, beaded keychains, and jewelry. Basic sewing skills are being taught as well as advance design skills. As the artisans improve their crafts skills, Zimele encourages them to work on more complex products.

Business Training

In addition to developing crafts skills, Zimele is training business skills such as product design, marketing, bookkeeping, and basic financial management. By building these entreprenuerial skills communities will be able to sustain independent businesses.

Personal Development

Similar to the Savings Program, the main focus of the Crafts Program is to empower and build up participants to become self reliant. Through working together in community with other women, they also receive vital support while they strive to improve their lives.

Global Distribution

While crafts skills and products are being developed in South Africa with the artisans, Zimele actively seeks distribution channels in the US and Europe for its crafts products.

Our Progress So Far

We have come a long way in such a short amount of time with the craft artisans programs.

We currently have 80 craft artisans enrolled in our craft and business training programs, where they not only take classes and work with each other to improve their sewing and product making skills, but also participate in business classes.

The quick improvement is evident when one compares the quality and intricacy of the Zulu Makoti dolls produced by the artisans prior to the program to what they are currently making.

We have had great success in developing local markets for our products. One of our best selling products has been the handbags which are flying off the shelves at flea markets in Praetoria. They are selling for 140 ZAR ($20) per bag at a profit of 40 ZAR ($5-$6). We are also selling covered notebooks and Makoti dolls at hotels and tourist shops.

The most exciting development is the growing self-confidence and independence of the primarily female artisans. Some of the women marvel that their skills are reaching levels previously never imagined and ultimately this gives them great hope for the future. The more proficient artisans are starting to bring in almost 80 ZAR ($100USD) per month which is almost double their prior monthly income. Combined with their learning from the savings program (MicroBank), the impact to their families is tremendous. They are able to provide daily meals as well as clothes and schooling for their children.

Product Examples

The following are a sample of our products produced by members of our crafts artisans programs which are currently for sale in flea markets, hotels, and tourist shops in Durban and Praetoria.

Zimele US is working on creating an online website shopping site for individuals who are interested in purchasing products directly as well as potential distribution channels through US based retail shops.