With the skills learnt while attending a sewing workshop hosted by Humansdorp-based non-profit organisation, Sakhe Family Care Development Centre, and sewing instructor, Antoinette Ferreira, eight women from KwaNomzamo will showcase their beautiful hand-made bags at an exhibition at Fountains Mall from March 3 to 5.
In a bid to provide women with the skills to establish their own businesses, Ferreira – who is a trained home economist and specialises in garment production and instruction, and received further training in image planning through the Fashion Academy of Los Angeles – initially began hosting sewing workshops in 2020 through the Sakhe Family Care Development Centre in KwaNomzamo.
She said that many women in South Africa do not have the opportunity to further their education, but they have a passion and desire to be trained.
Ferreira further said that they have encountered many women in Humansdorp who yearn to receive training in some direction, to help them become economically active and independent.
She said that since the Sakhe Family Care Development Centre aims at developing the community and building people up, they offer the sewing workshops to women from the community to aid in job creation and business development.
“We have identified a specific area of need, and our aim is to train as many women as possible in sewing and related skills to enable them to produce a sellable product that can be marketed,” said Ferreira.
She said that they offer a 10-week beginner sewing course and have received tremendous support from the community of Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay.
Ferreira indicated that the sewing workshops are solely dependent on the number of sponsorships they receive, and they are therefore encouraging individuals and businesses to contribute.
“Big amounts of material and other notions and sewing machines have been sponsored and given as gifts,” said Ferreira.
“We have a very long waiting list of women who want to do the sewing courses, so sponsoring our sewing courses helps to empower these women.”
To further advance the skills of the women in the community, Sakhe Family Care recently began offering an advanced course in the sewing of school uniforms to those who have completed the beginner’s sewing course.
They are currently offering the uniform sewing course to six women from the community who attend the workshop on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while they are encouraged to practise on their own throughout the week.
Ferreira said that the impact of the sewing workshops has seen previous students create their own success stories, with Caroline Thulisile recently moving to East London where she will be making and selling bags. She and Nosipho Shweni also sewed pillows for the RAW company in November and December last year.
To showcase the beautiful handmade bags designed by the women from her sewing workshop, Ferreira said that they will display their bags at the My Beauty Exhibition at Fountains Mall from March 3 to 5.
She said that the bags are made from the highest quality cotton and linen material.
“The material of the bags is very durable and mostly used for interior decorating purposes. The bags are also made from interesting colours and textures which were combined in the production process,” said Ferreira.
“Several ranges of different material patterns were used with some ethnic, animal prints, flower prints and more.”
Ferreira said that the bags, which range from R40 to R200, will be offered in a variety of sizes and styles for everyone.
“When you buy one of our bags, you are directly helping a woman,” said Ferreira.
For more information, or to sponsor a sewing workshop, contact Chris Buka at 076 651 9039 or Antoinette Ferreira at 078 516 7737.
