Home’s Kanye Kanye project aims to uplift the community
The name Kanye Kanye was inspired by the African proverb which says: 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together'
SIPHUMELELE Children’s Home, originators of the 100 per cent recycled foops, have a new project up their sleeves.
This one is called Kanye Kanye and is all about manufacturing hand-made products and at the same time, creating employment.
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Kanye Kanye started in January 2014 as the Edleen home’s sewing project, and was later finally registered with its new name a few months later in August last year.
The company is 85 per cent female owned, of which 36 per cent is black female owned.
“Kanye Kanye is a hybrid social enterprise because of its production and employment model. The company manufactures quality products that can compete in the open market to ensure the commercial success of the business, with profits and shareholder value,” Bianca van Wyngaard, Siphumelele’s chairman, explained.
The name Kanye Kanye, which is isiZulu for “all altogether”, was inspired by the African proverb which says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.
Kanye Kanye’s main aim is to uplift the community especially vulnerable groups such as women and the youth.
“We do this in four ways: employing young people coming from the welfare system (such as children’s homes and shelters) on completion of school, creating a sustainable funding model for NPO’s, reducing landfill by using waste generated by the community and small businesses to produce our products, as well as uplifting the community and therefore breaking the cycle of poverty that leads to children being abandoned in the first place,” van Wyngaard said.
Kanye Kanye has already had a lot of success through their foops. Their ottomans were completely sold out at last year’s Monte Casino Christmas Market, and Kanye Kanye now has a permanent stand at The Sheds in Johannesburg, which is open on weekends only. They have also received support from Facebook and local community markets in Kempton and Randburg.
“We have been invited back to the Monte Casino market this year and will also be debuting our wonderful products at selected Durban and Cape Town Christmas markets this year,” van Wyngaard.
Two companies, One Tight Ship and Solid Green Consulting, have already requested Kanye Kanye to design custom-made foops for their offices. The project also had their first CSI (corporate social investment order) from Momentum, who ordered four foops for a container library the company sponsored in Tembisa.
Kanye Kanye’s learners and employees have also added another product to their growing list, the Le-Le pet, and floor cushions and book club bags.
