Colour, fashion, praise and the power of women was celebrated at the first Owesifazane Onethemba graduation ceremony at Grace Family Church Ballito last week.

Owesifazane Onethemba (woman of hope) is a skills transfer mentorship programme and the brainchild of creative sewing guru Colleen Blew who is passionate about uplifting women.

The roughly ten-week course saw 13 ladies and one man go from not knowing a stitch about sewing to modeling gorgeous garments that they made themselves.

Blew said she was overwhelmed with joy to see these ladies graduate from the spiritual sewing course.

“Through this programme, the ladies received not just the physical skill of sewing but also the spiritual food to help them became beautiful, confident women of God,” said Blew who used to run a sewing factory at LIV Village.

“This course is not about teaching women how to sew a pencil case.

“It is about fashion. This journey was about love, restoration and dignity.

It is about sisterhood, entrepreneurship and business, giving these women the knowledge and the opportunity to become clever businesswomen and empowering them to put food on the table for their families.”

Former farm worker Busiswe Mzaca said she was delighted to know how to sew now and was grateful for this blessing.

“I am not going back to the farm, I am going to start a fashion business.”

Fellow sewing graduate Nondumiso Mapalala said the course had given them a chance to become independent women.

“Let’s use this opportunity to not wait to be employed but to start our own business,” said Mapalala.

After this first beginners course, Blew and her team will offer an advanced course soon. If you would like to get involved or could sponsor a sewing machine, contact Blew at 082 773 2117.