T-SHAD creating employment through heritage

Tembisa Self Help Association for the Disabled (T-SHAD) celebrated Heritage Month by looking at ways to create income from the cultural celebrations on September 25.

The centre manager, Calvin Stemela, said Heritage Month was celebrated under the theme ‘Unleash your culture enterprisingly to fight unemployment.’

“We invited local artists and everyone who could contribute with different cultural items,” said Stemela.

“We had cultural garments displayed, cultural music was played and African cuisine was served to the patrons.

“Through all of these, one can generate revenue and create employment for themselves,” said Stemela.

He said on the day they also celebrated a newly tiled hall – a gesture from a Good Samaritan.

On the day they had Mbhaqanga music and performances from The Arch of the Covenant (TAC) where 65 children drummed, sang and performed Capoeira dance.

“As a keynote speaker we had Dr Jabulane Sithole who related the history of Tembisa to our patrons and he also shared how the Jan Smuts Airport, known today as the OR Tambo International Airport, was started.

All tables were arranged according to different nationalities and each had a representative who shared their different cultures.

“We wanted to share different cultural experiences and look into how best we can create employment through that cultural diversity.

“We had a speaker who shared knowledge on different herbs like teas and juices.

“We also had a speaker from DEAFSA who spoke to instill confidence in the T-SHAD members by ensuring them that we are all able in different ways. There is nothing like disability but there’s what’s called THIS ABILITY,” said Stemela.

He said in that way the speaker was boosting the self-esteem of T-SHAD members.

Stemela said T-SHAD will never be the same due to changes since its inception in 2014.

“We have changed the centre since we began as the recent administration.

“When we came in the centre was swimming in debt of R500 000 but with our recycling revenue we are today sitting at R180 000 debt to the municipality. We have committed ourselves to turning the centre into a community gem and a hub for communication and disseminate information to the community.”