Alex Women sew their way to success through Rays of Hope programme
Alex women are finding hope and empowerment through a sewing programme by Rays of Hope, gaining essential skills and support to build sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families.
From the gogos raising grandchildren on pension money to single mothers working hard to make ends meet and keep the lights on at home, the women of Alexandra shoulder many a heavy burden.
However, through a sewing programme run by Rays of Hope that aims to empower and equip Alex women with skills to support them in earning a living for themselves and their families, that burden has become just a little lighter for some.
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A graduate of the programme Jeniva Makola with a passion for dressmaking shares her transformative journey.
“The sewing programme has been life-changing for me and other ladies. It has empowered us with valuable skills and the confidence to start our businesses. I am so grateful for the support and opportunities Rays of Hope has provided through this programme,” Makola said.
In partnership with the Stadio School of Fashion in Johannesburg, the five-month sewing programme equips women with a range of practical skills, including patternmaking, stitching, and garment making.
Participants also benefit from business training to help them launch their enterprises. Graduates leave the programme with an accredited qualification from Stadio and a Brother Brand sewing machine to kick-start their businesses.
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Tasked with recruiting participants for this year’s programme, Makola recalls how she came across Thabisa Dabula.
“I was tutoring English classes as a volunteer at Rays of Hope and noticed that one of the children was struggling in class,” she said.
After asking further questions, Makola discovered the child’s difficult home life. “I found out that the child’s father had passed on, and he was the family’s breadwinner. They had been living without electricity and were struggling, but in speaking more with the child’s mother, Thabisa, I learned that she tried to earn a living by sewing by hand,” Makola said.
Thabisa was invited to join the programme and excelled, having pitched a traditional Xhosa-style peplum skirt designed to help women in postpartum feel comfortable in their new bodies.
Her design and presentation won her first place in a Dragon’s Den-style competition that was part of the programme, earning prize money to help start her venture.
Charmaine Seloma of Rays of Hope emphasised the programme’s collaborative spirit.
“Not only does the sewing programme help women build skills that can help them start their businesses, but they also have the opportunity to lean on one another in their shared struggles as mothers, wives, and female figures in the community. It’s a touching story of women uplifting women,” Seloma said.
Seloma noted the NGO’s plans to accommodate more participants in next year’s programme. “Cummins very generously sponsored the last group of graduates, and we are trying our best to ensure we find sponsors to help fund the sewing machines for the participants as well as consumables and lessons for the programme going forward.”
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