Not just sew-sew for these seniors from Dobsonville
Discover how you can join the Dobsonville Care of the Aged Sewing and Knitting Club.
Marriam Zwane served a seven-year jail sentence for political activities when the apartheid government was still at the helm. Her sentence was meant to serve as a deterrent for her to get future employment opportunities like her fellow South Africans.
This inspired Zwane to established the Dobsonville Care of the Aged Centre in 1990 to impart the sewing and knitting skills she acquired in prison to local seniors.
She said, “When I started this project, I was working from home. Within a year, I relocated to Neac Dorothy Nyembe Park because the project was growing.”
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She said the objective of starting the project was to make the elderly self-reliant. According to Zwane, most seniors sit idly at home and isolate themselves because they have no activities to occupy their time and they are prone to chronic illnesses.
When asked what type of products they offer, she responded, “We are sewing aprons, hats, shirts, sewing jerseys, school uniform and a whole range of other items. The funds we generate helps to feed us while we knit and sew at the centre.
“During their free time, our members do their individual knitting individual sewing projects. We are open from Monday to Friday, starting from 9 am to 2 pm,” said Zwane.
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The project has grown over the past few years and they have branches in Dobsonville, Thubelisha, Doornkop, Tshepisong and two other branches in Bramfisherville.
In total they have over 500 memberships consist of senior citizens in various parts of Soweto. Zwane said that the organisation suffered a severe financial blow when the department of education withdrew their support which the group enjoyed from 1993 to 2003.
“We were knitting and sewing school uniforms for three schools in Dobsonville. The money we generated then, helped to sustain the organisation,” said Zwane.
She urged the department to reconsider withdrawing the tender and said that they had the capacity to deliver given their large membership.
Senior citizens interested in joining the Dobsonville Care of the Aged Sewing and Knitting Club are asked to contact Marriam Zwane on 084 637 2825.
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