COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENT
While visiting a friend for two days, she played tour guide around the beautiful coastal Knysna. This is a very upmarket forested town along South Africa's Cape coastline. We watched yachts leaving from their moorings. We saw the patient fisherman slowly casting the lines in and reeling them back. Then casting again. We sipped hot soup in the window seats of a quaint deli. We wandered the colourful streets and drove up through the forests.
One of the highlights for me was our visit to an incredible community project aimed at educating the rural women. I was really impressed by this community minded project. The store front almost appears to be a gallery. You can see that great pride and attention to detail is on display. They have a big international market and are supported by people far and wide.
The smiling woman that gave us a tour was very proud of their project. And rightly so. She allowed us to peep in on the hard working women. She explained the training as well as the artistic work that goes into each item, no matter how small.
The idea behind these projects is to train women - very often single mothers with huge families (including other peoples children). The training is extensive and very comprehensive. Some women remain to work from the shop. Others return to their rural community to build their own business. Some go further afield, often paying it forward, by teaching others a craft in order to make an income to look after their families. It is truly an active community project.
Each item is a piece of art. The crafts vary from jewellery to quilting to children's toys to paintings to handbags and scarves. Now I'm sorry that I was so caught up in the viewing that I didn't take a photo of the handbags but these are something to behold. Each is one of only up to 6 of that print. And each print is a specific creation artistically designed by one of the women and then embroidered and made, often incorporating leather or hemp and beading. They also sell a lovely colouring-in book of South Africa.
Being a tourist in my own country was rather an interesting experience for me. And this project is worth sharing here on #steemit especially considering the community minded that are connecting here.
howdy again @buckaroo! wow this is an amazing project to teach and help these women how to earn an income and the products looks so unique and high quality! God bless that company and whoever is running it!
They are very unique. It is a very special project. And one of many although I have only ever seen farming projects.
thanks @buckaroo and God bless them, someday I'd like to be able to support them by ordering products.
OMGosh! I absolutely LOVE these!
I lost my only patchwork quilt years ago... I miss that thing!
Lost?! Oh no. They are beautiful. I lived in America in my early 20's and had a colourful quilt - I think it's called the wedding ring style. They are very special and a lot of work
This one make me feel a little ghostbumped but then teary eyes.. I don't know why.. but one thing for sure, I love this! Thank you @buckaroo.. you have a strange tourism destination.
At least you enjoy it! Thanks for you support. Wonderful to encourage each other
Empowering people to learn how to support themselves is such a good thing. Very cool project!
Definitely empowering people. It's so necessary in these rural areas. The first I encountered this community idea was many years ago in the farmlands. They were teaching farming techniques plus marketing to the families. So they could feed themselves and others. Plus eventually sell excess
I would venture to say that it's also really needed in many urban areas. So many there do not have a solid way to support themselves either. Really anytime there is an opportunity to empower others it's worthwhile.
This is part of what I love about steemit. While a $1 reward may not have any effect on my household in some parts of the world that is enough to make a difference. Even if it takes someone a few weeks to earn that $1 it's more then they had before. Then if they are smart and keep rolling that into powering up and reinvesting in themselves they can see the rewards grow over time and start a make a real difference.
Hard part is getting the concept of delayed gratification across to people who need money today to help feed their families. Even taking 1/2 and reinvesting is better then none and each time they sacrifice a little today they are helping their future.
@darkhorse that is exactly the problem. So many need food today to feed families.
I watched a documentary some time ago about how much X-amount provides for a certain sized family in different countries across the world. It was actually an embarassing reflection on first world countries. Large families survive on a stipend buying the basic staples in poor countries whereas the rest of us are largely extravagant and fussy. And selfish.
South Africa is surely one beautiful country, Inspiring to see ladies working for themselves leaving an example for everyone else
It is a beautiful country. I have seen other such community projects but usually in a farming sense. It is a wonderful inspiration
Exactly it is.
Not just in farming sense but even if we see it overall, like ladies working in a community, setting an example, making an already beautiful country even more beautiful
This post remind me for many hard working women in my country, there're many gorgeous people working in communities, taught them to use their extra time to earn more for the family especially for the women who also the head of family.
Thank you @buckaroo.. for sharing this with us, I can see how potential we are as woman to play the good role to empower each other.
It is really special that different countries can put into their communities by teaching the women who need that assistance in order to help their families
Yes it is, that's why the woman global fund, sisterhood community, Unifem and many other non-profit organizations in any level existed in the world. Especially in the third world countries where woman has to struggle and fight for her rights.
I think it is far worse for some women. Where are you @cicisaja?
Indonesia, South East Asia.
Wow. I don't know much about Indonensia I am sorry to admit. Will be paying more attention to your posts
That's fine @buckaroo😉 it's nothing too inspiring, I'mnot good on posting but quite crazy on commenting😊
Don't think it's not inspiring. We have so much to learn from each other. Although it is the commenting where relationships are built!