"Necessity is the mother of invention" and for the Ku-Humelala Craft Group this cliché rings true. The sisterhood of fifteen craftswomen, whose small business development has been supported by the Artisans and Crafter Africa Job Creation Program, has fallen on hard times as a result of COVID-19, and the resulting absence of tourists to buy their products.
For example, Precious, aged 30, pregnant and with a little girl of 6, began work at Ku-Humelala last year. This employment enabled Precious to cover her daughter's school fees, provide food for the household, and even put a little money away. Now, with her husband unemployed due to COVID-19, the family's income is severely threatened.
Fortunately, the ladies are adapting to their new challenges and have been trained by Global Gift Innovators to sew high quality masks, which are then sold to individuals and businesses. The Africa Foundation, for example, will be purchasing and distributing hand-made children's face masks from the Ku-Humelala Craft Group to assist children in South African communities to safely return to school. One mask for one child costs R18 (approximately US$1.50) - and donations are gratefully accepted to support the students and crafters. Click here to learn more.
