Beaded cards help unemployed

Beaded memorabilia: Local women from the Iziko lo Lwazi centre at Imizama Yethu created the beaded pins on cards made from their handcrafted paper. The cards were handed out at UCT's birthday party.

Did you know that the beaded cards given out at UCT's official birthday party on Friday were crafted on handmade paper using waste paper from the Hout Bay recycling centre, made by a group of unemployed woman from the local informal settlement Imizamo Yethu? And also, that they did the beadwork on the pins?

Over 1 000 cards were presented to students and staff who attended the cake-cutting ceremony on UCT's official birthday, October 1, in the Jameson Hall during lunchtime last Friday.

The paper and beading enterprise goes by the name of Iziko lo Lwazi (Centre of Learning), which empowers women through education and employment.

"With the high rate of unemployment in the community, this was a good opportunity to help the group," said Mary Hilton (faculty liaison) from the communication and development department that arranged the birthday bash.

The first initiative to assist the women was a literacy programme three years ago, part of an outreach programme to provide skills. But the drop-out rate was high. The employment opportunity offered the group more direct returns. Twelve women are permanently employed by the centre; four paper makers and eight beaders and bag-makers.

Each card has been signed by the beader.

If you were unable to attend the function and missed out on the beaded cards, please contact Mary Hilton, e-mail hiltonm@bremner.uct.ac.za, or phone 650-5817, to order one.