Local woman helps Leeuwkop inmates learn new skills

The old adage goes that a stitch in time saves nine, but one woman hopes that a stitch will be able to save South Africans from a life of poverty and crime.

Allyson Rischbieter, the owner of the Craft Academy has made it her mission to upskill underprivileged members of the community and those currently incarcerated at Leeuwkop Correctional Facility. Using her extensive knowledge of a number of crafts including quilting, crocheting and sewing, she hopes to build up her Community Development Centre to teach as many people as possible.

During the Covid-19 pandemic she has also been selling homemade face masks, with R10 from each sale going towards creating a mask to be donated to someone in need.

“I started the Craft Academy in 2009 and started doing it full time in 2012, in order to teach people skills [using] textile,” she told Fourways Review. “God put it in my heart to upskill people in need, so I’ve also started looking how to teach people skills that will help them bring in an income.

“At the beginning of this year, I took on five students as part of the Yes [Youth Employment Service] programme, who I train in a number of skills. And starting in August of last year, I began giving lessons at Medium C of Leeuwkop Prison. I expected a class of about 20 people, but when I arrived on the day there were 90 men in the class. I’ve been upskilling them in crafts like hand sewing, crochet and dressmaking.

“Now there are about 40 dedicated men in my class and I have to say they are very good. Working with them, I realised what a good thing this was. Now they’ll have skills for when they leave incarceration, will be able to make a living and won’t have to return to a life of crime. Everyone should be given the opportunity to change.”

From February this year, Rischbieter has also began teaching at the maximum security prison as well, starting with the skill of hand embroidery. About four leather workers have also started learning from her. The inmates have created a number of pieces, which she sells from her shop.

“Right now all the supplies we use [at the prison] are out of my pocket or from donations. When I’m able to sell them to the public though, that means there’s money to buy more supplies so we can continue working. The men are desperate for something to do while imprisoned, so why can’t we use this labour force to create our own school uniforms and other goods?”

Rischbieter also wants to upskill others too. She began the Community Development Centre to train even more people from the community, but cannot do it alone.

“I want to do so much, but I can’t really afford it. Any help from the public would be so appreciated.”

Here are some ways you can help:

• If you are skilled in handmade

industries and are willing to teach others, Rischbieter is calling for volunteers to help train those in need

• Donations of sewing machines are

welcome so that participants are able to work on their skills

• Any haberdashery supplies, such as

wool, needles, embroidery thread etc

• The sponsorship of fabric for

inmates to learn skills such as dressmaking. “We get a lot of donations of offcuts, but what I’d be so grateful for is more fabric – I promise we’ll make good use of it all.”

• Overlockers.

Details: www.craftacademy.co.za; Allyson Rischbieter 083 294 0356.

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