What began as a small community upliftment project has blossomed into an international business that is changing the lives of rural women across South Africa, allowing them to earn a sustainable income from the comfort of their homes through handcrafted beadwork now exported to overseas markets.
A group of women from disadvantaged communities in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga are producing handmade accessories for international buyers after being discovered and mentored by entrepreneur Bomikazi Nomlala, founder of Chareb Accessories. What started as a passion project aimed at giving back to her community soon evolved into a fully-fledged business as demand for the products steadily grew.
Speaking to the Sunday Times during the launch of the Craft & Design Institute (CDI) Circular Maker Space at the V&A Waterfront this week, Nomlala said joining the CDI became a turning point for her business, opening doors to mentorship, exposure and opportunities that accelerated the company’s growth while creating jobs for rural women.
“It has been 10 years since I started this business. I work with women in disadvantaged areas in three provinces, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. I also work with artisans here in Cape Town who do the leather used in our beadwork,” she said.
Nomlala said she started the business with just three women, but the team has since grown to 28 artisan beadmakers.
“After I started the company, I heard about CDI. I registered and became a member. In late 2017, I attended a lot of training with them, including coaching, mentoring, product development and business management. They assisted my company to grow in all angles by providing exposure through their store at the Watershed at the Waterfront,” she said.
She supplies the CDI Watershed store at the Waterfront, and her products are also displayed at their head office.
The CDI is a V&A Waterfront-funded initiative focused on creating platforms for circular making, creative enterprise and sustainable growth. This week, the V&A Waterfront and CDI launched the Circular Maker Space at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal, a platform designed to give South African designers, makers and creative entrepreneurs access to tools, networks and support in one of the country’s most visible commercial precincts.
Nomlala said Chareb Accessories produces a wide range of handmade beaded products, including necklaces, earrings, bangles, watches, homeware and decorative items made using recycled telephone wire.
She said her passion for the business was deeply rooted in her upbringing in Mthatha, where she helped her mother, a street vendor, sell goods on the streets.
“My mother was a street vendor, so I used to go with her to sell on the streets. I realised there were many things I did not know about because of the environment I grew up in. There were many disadvantages that affected me personally,” she said.
She later met a group of women producing traditional crafts and introduced new designs and concepts to improve the quality and marketability of their work.
“These women still need to look after their families, so they continue with the beadwork while managing their homes. I do the production planning, deciding what will be produced, when, and in what quantities, then I distribute the designs and quantities among the women,” she said.
Award-winning ceramic artist Andile Dyalvane, co-founder of Imiso Ceramics, also shared how creative entrepreneurship transformed his life and enabled him to preserve African storytelling and heritage through ceramic art.
Dyalvane said he started the business with no capital or office space, but 20 years later, the company exports products internationally and mentors a new generation of creatives.
“When we started, we were creatives who had not necessarily gone to school for business. But after graduating from art and design schools in Cape Town and the Eastern Cape, as a group of friends, we wanted to tell our stories,” he said.
He said they also “wanted to take ownership of our own narrative, create jobs and build legacies for our people”.
“Today we are in a position to invite young makers, teach them what we know and explore new possibilities together.”
Like Nomlala, Dyalvane is also a beneficiary of the CDI programme.
Graham Wood, CEO of the V&A Waterfront, said supporting creative entrepreneurs and small businesses was critical to Cape Town’s future economic growth.
“The Circular Maker Space reflects our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for makers and entrepreneurs, while advancing more sustainable ways of making and doing business. CDI is the right partner to activate this space and help ensure it delivers real value to the creative sector,” he said.
Over the past decade, and with support from long-term funders including the Jobs Fund, CDI has reportedly leveraged more than R200m in direct investment in local small businesses, helped secure an additional R420m in further investment and contributed to the creation of thousands of sustainable jobs across South Africa.
The initiative has also received support from the government.
Alderman James Vos, mayoral committee member for economic growth in the City of Cape Town, who attended the launch, said he had witnessed first-hand the impact of CDI on the city’s creative economy.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Craft and Design Institute over my time as the MMC for economic growth. I have had the privilege of visiting many of their premises and engaging directly with designers, makers and entrepreneurs in their creative workspaces,” he said.
“It has been deeply inspiring to witness the real impact this work has on people’s livelihoods and on the growth of our local economy.”
CDI CEO Erica Elk described the Circular Maker Space as more than just a local facility.
“This is not just a facility for businesses in Cape Town. It is a centre of excellence and a resource for creators across the country and the continent. Our vision is for this location to become a home for creators wanting to experiment, network and expand their horizons. We are open to partnerships and possibilities,” she said.
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