Artisans

The work Sizanacraft markets all over the world is produced by a large number of artisans. Many are women who augment their social grants with the sale of handwork. Some are elderly, caring for large extended families. In many cases the economically active generation has died of AIDS and the grandmothers are left looking after a multitude of grandchildren. This gallery is some of these brave men and women who do the best they can under extremely difficult conditions. Every piece of work bought from Sizanacraft, helps one of these artisans attain a better quality of life

Makhosi Shoba (Production Manager & master beader and now also weaver) Tracey Collier (CEO) Dee Love (Admin)

Zandile Ngidi lives in KwaDabeka and runs a group that produces the soft telephone wire baskets. She was born in 1960 and works as a nurse aid at the Prince Mshiyeni hospital. She supports 11 people. Most are part of her extended family but also includes a young woman who was kicked out by her parents for being pregnant, and her child.

Thokozile Florence Ngidi is Zandiles mother (born 1930). She organises production on a farm near Pomeroy. Once a month she makes the trip to bring completed baskets to the showroom and takes back wire for the artisans on the farm. She supports 7 others of her extended family, most of whom are her grandchildren.

Ngenzeni Mabaso is one of our beaders. She travels 130 kms by bus and mini bus taxi, every two weeks to bring in her beadwork.

Tobias and Siyabonga Shoba, busy with their class in telephone wire weaving. Tobias is Makhosi’s husband and Siyabonga is her nephew.

We will be adding other pictures and short biographies as the artisans come in to submit their work. As some live huge distances away, this may take some time to compile as we see some on a three monthly basis.