Vuka Hub to empower Edenvale women with sewing skills this Women’s Month

With the arrival of Women’s Month, Khanyisa Trust, in collaboration with Essentially Edenvale, hopes to empower, support, and uplift women and community members through the Vuka Hub.

This community-led empowerment hub, based at Khanyisa Trust, will launch on Women’s Day alongside a skills programme that will teach women how to sew.

The launch will take place on August 9 at Khanyisa Trust (58 Seventh Avenue) between 12:00 and 15:00.

Michelle dos Santos, a director of Essentially Edenvale, explained that the idea is to start small with a pilot project focusing solely on women.

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Loraine von Hoesslin, trustee and executive committee secretary of Khanyisa Trust, explained that before the Covid-19 pandemic, the trust ran a course at its facility where community members were taught skills to help them become entrepreneurs.

Von Hoesslin said that although the trust tried to restart the project after the pandemic, many community members were nervous about gatherings, and the initiative soon ended.

She said that uplifting community members by providing skills such as sewing is vital to helping them become self-sufficient.

“We have sewing machines at the trust, and through this project, we can teach community members sewing skills—how to make items for personal use or for sale,” said Von Hoesslin.

Once established, the hub aims to empower women through structured weekly sessions, which will include skills training, mentorship, emotional wellness, and income-generating opportunities.

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Using existing infrastructure such as sewing machines, the trust’s kitchen facilities, and a shared workspace, Vuka Hub hopes to provide a safe and supportive environment for unemployed, abused, or displaced women to grow in confidence, find purpose, and become self-sufficient.

In addition to being taught how to upskill themselves, the women will also be provided with a meal.
Von Hoesslin explained that women in need often do not come to receive food from the trust’s morning feeding schemes.

She said that in some instances, the women feel intimidated by the men and choose to find food elsewhere.

Dos Santos said that by providing a safe place for women to gather, they will feel secure and be able to connect with one another.

Although some community members harbour negative feelings toward the trust’s feeding scheme, Von Hoesslin stated that this is not the trust’s sole purpose.

SShe said that in previous years, it helped those in need with job placements and upskilling projects.

Von Hoesslin explained that one of the trust’s greatest challenges with regard to programmes similar to Vuka Hub has been limited funding.

“Using the sewing programme as an example, the trust would need to pay for a sewing teacher as well as maintain the sewing machines,” said Von Hoesslin.

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Dos Santos said that to combat this challenge, sponsors and partners have been approached to help alleviate the costs of the project.

Dos Santos added that she has also spoken to social workers from Edenvale Hospital and Child Welfare South Africa – Edenvale and Bedfordview to identify women in need who could benefit from the empowerment project.

For more information or to become a partner in the Vuka Hub project, contact Dos Santos on 078 800 2830.
Alternatively, contact Khanyisa Trust on 011 452 6176.