Driven by poverty and the high rate of unemployment in the area, Endumeni Local municipality ward 6 in collaborations with the newly established women’s club took an initiative and formed a Siyaqhubeka Sewing Project. The project encompasses middle age enthusiastic women that work hard and beyond reasonable doubt to ensure that their work is up to standard.
Chaired by Mrs Jabu Sithole “Mam Jobe” and Cllr T.I Makaba as the monitor, the project started late in the year 2015 with an aim to create more job opportunities and ensuring that these passion driven women are able to feed their families.
Cllr T.I Makaba expressed that the project will reduces the high rate of unemployment especially to those women who have to ensure that their families are fed. Therefore the municipality fully committed itself by buying sewing machines so that they will be able to make an income out of the project established.
The Siyaqhubeka members were captured in their working station along with the Cllr T.I Makaba and the CDW workers.
“Even though it was hard at first to find a suitable venue for the ladies to work, we therefore were able to get it in McKenzie Hall and they were able to get their first order to sew school uniforms for Dundee Primary,” she added.
Before the project was run, all the ladies received training on business management and how to spend their money wisely. Ms Lindiwe Mdunge from Craigside is amongst the women that is part of Siyaqhubeka project. She elaborated on how this project has changed her life and expressed gratitude how they got sponsorship from the municipality for ensuring their dreams has come true.
“As an unemployed, single parent, I am greatful for each and every woman who is formed as part of this project; we can now showcase our sewing talents and make money out of it. The establishment of the project would have not been possible if our ward councillor Mam Makaba was not fully supporting us. I can surely say that I am confident that I can now bring bread in the table for my children,” Mdunge uttered.
Mdunge further added that they even got an unexpected opportunity to thoroughly learn on how they can ensure that their project is run effectively from the free training they received.
