Sikhona

The Power Station Project was set up in Grahamstown, South Africa, to create employment opportunities for the workers and assist them with business skills, development and technical skills and training. They established three groups to solve some of business, marketing and production problems: a training group (Umthathi Training Project), a management support group (East Cape Rural Industries), and a marketing group (Sikhona). Sikhona's focus is on wholesale marketing for the groups within Power Station and also for a number of producers outside Power Station. Sikhona conducts market research providing information on the local craft market. This research is particularly helpful in determining the products that need improvement, or small changes that will make them more marketable.

Intaka Crafts

Intaka Crafts is a group of 8 women specializing in hand-decorated papiermache and wooden household products. All paints are non-toxic and lead-frees. They work at the Power Station in Grahamstown.

Imizamo Yethu Handpainted Ceramics

Imizamo Yethu (Our Effort) was started in 1993 at the Power Station, Grahamstown. They are 11 people, 9 of whom are women, producing hand-decorated dinnerware. Designs vary from birds, fish, animals, flowers. All articles are signed by the artist. They also produce hand painted ceramic mobiles, and ceramic buttons in two sizes.

In many ways we've been ahead of many organizations in South Africa, in the way we've been able to combine democracy, economic survival and non-racism. I believe we have become a real example of how worker empowered small business can be. VIVA!"
Nike Costsaras, Production Manager at The Powerstation

email ecri@wn.apc.org

Rural Craft

"Rural Craft" is the marketing arm of the National Crafts Association of South Africa. It represents a coalition of crafts self-help projects and micro business enterprises scattered all over South Africa. The Craft Association is a non-profit organization. Groups involved are "run by the people for the people", which curtails the almost world-wide exploitation of such traditional crafters by commercialization. Each item is individually made, whether it be urban or rural.

Chivirika Wall Hangings

In the Tsonga language of M'phambo Village in Northeastern Transvaal, South Africa, Chivirika means "toil for your survival". These intricately detailed wall hangings are hand-stitched mitjekas (large cotton cloths) made by the women's cooperative called Chivirika. This self-help group keeps alive centuries-old needlework skills originally adapted to mitjekas when European missionaries introduced cotton bed sheets in the seventeenth century.

Beaded Dolls

Extreme value is placed by African crafts people upon imported beads. Their extravagant ceremonial use in traditional custom is no doubt linked to the trading value of the beads themselves. The meanings and uses of the items are intertwined with tradition.

Modern Ndebele Ceremonial dolls are valued as the guardian of the home. They are intended to promote virility and guard against impotence.

Initiation dolls, fashioned in the likeness of the Ndebele women, are made by mothers and given to their daughters on the occasion of their initiation into womanhood.

Rural Craft
PO Box 32878
Braamfontain 2017
South Africa
2711/788.5821 phone
2711/442.7691