Sewing for success

Three Krugersdorp women did not let unemployment deter them. They put needle to cloth and sewed their way to success.

September 18, 2016

Portia Mokowe 1 minute read

Dinah Mokoena says she is passionate about designing clothing.

Three women in the Krugersdorp CBD are taking the fashion designing world by storm.

When the sewing company they worked for closed shop and the owner gave them some of the sewing machines, they thought all hope was lost until they decided to use their creativity.

Dinah Mokoena, Elizabeth Moema and Emily Sebotsa already had the experience, and with their sewing machines they started their own small business.

“We raised money from our own pockets to start this up. We only had sewing machines and our experiences, but we knew that we wanted to have our own thing and we did not want to be unemployed – and that is how the Looking for Best sewing and multipurpose co-operative began,” Dinah said.

The co-operative sews school uniforms, church uniforms and does tailoring and in addition, the women have also shared their skills with local disabled people.

“We teach physically challenged pupils how to sew using domestic sewing machines, so that they also have a skill they can use to make a living. We then guide them until they establish a small business for themselves,” Dinah told the News.

“Looking for best is also affiliated to the Department of Social Development. They gave us a contract to sew school uniforms in the past and that is how we were able to employ more staff and purchase more sewing machines,” said Dinah.

The small co-operative has now employed Pete Qhayi, who is the only thorn among the roses, and Aleta Qhayi. They also have a contractual staff of three who come in to help when there’s a lot of work to be done.

“We would like to advise people who are still in the process of starting their own co-operatives to have more patience, because every business goes through good and bad times, so it is important that one remains humble,” Elizabeth advised.

The women are planning on expanding their company into a training academy where they will impart their skills to others and take on bigger orders.