Success Stories

Sizanani – news of what some of the past trainees have accomplished since completing their training.



Constance Ngcamu – completed training in June 2006

Constance was sponsored by a church, Victory Faith, who has an outreach into a community nearby. She is one of a handful of women from this commmunity who have received training through Sizanani and they now work as a group and are encouraged and supported by Victory Faith.

 

 

Thembi Ngcobo – completed training in June 2006

Thembi has her own business where she makes cultural outfits and decorations for events.

 

 

Mamosala Mashesh – completed training in June 2006

Mamosala works from home also making up cultural outfits.

 

 

Dolly Zungu and Lindiwe Makgabutlane – completed training in December 2006

They work together in a community in the Botha’s Hill area and make up uniforms for the Methodist Womens’ organization, Manyano

 

 

Bhekisile Radebe – completed training in June 2008

Bhekisile (or Nunu as we call her) helped at Sizanani when an order was received for stoles for a choir in USA.  She led a small team in the making up of the 80 stoles and because she managed so well, she was asked to come in on other occasions where hospital gowns, linen and curtains were made for a small city hospital ward.  She now works with Lillian Visagie – on the Sizanani premises – helping Lillian with her orders for various hospital articles (patient gowns, doctor’s gowns, etc.) She is expecting twins in the early part of 2010.

 

 

Victoria Bhengu – completed training in September 2007

Victoria found work in a clothing factory in the Westmead Industrial area.

 

 

Bathabile Hadebe – completed training in June 2008

Bathabile is an avid fan of Kaizer Chiefs soccer club, and has made various articles, like the chicken doorstops that they learn to make in the course, in the clubs colours of black and yellow. She then sells her goods outside soccer stadiums and at taxi/bus ranks


Bongiwe Hlope – completed her training in June 2008

Bongiwe attended the sewing course to give herself a skill that she could use when she needed to.  She sews for her family and neighbours and enjoys being able to do this.


Hlengiwe Myeni and Nomusa Mkhwanazi completed their training in September 2008

They both registered at Fashion Design Schools to further their sewing skill and are enjoying studying fashion design.  Both of them have shared with us that they would find it very difficult to cope in their present courses if they hadn’t had the good grounding they received at Sizanani.

 

 

Christophina Dlamini (now Maphumulo) – completed training in 1997

Christophina worked in the Sizanani Production Team for many years after she completed her training.  The production team was closed down at the end of 2005.  She was able to secure the orders for the John Wesley School tunics that the girls wear as part of their uniform, and has continued making them from home since then.

 

 

Ethel Mapalala – completed training in 1997

Ethel worked as part of the Sizanani Production Team together with Christophina until the end of 2005.  Ethel is now working in a clothing business in the Westville area.

 

 

Purity Gumede: completed training in June 1998. 

Together with other women from her class, they started a small business together.  Unfortunately, the group was unable to stay together and so when Sizanani’s  Production Unit had too much work, we were able to call on Purity to help out.  A member of our congregation, who has an interior decorating business, approached us for a seamstress and we recommended Purity to her.  Purity has been working for this business for a few years now.

 

 

Khombisile Cele: completed training in April 1997. 

She came to encourage the graduates at their graduation ceremony on 1 July 2005.  Khombisile only attended the basic sewing course in 1997, as the pattern drafting course had not started yet.  Now she markets herself as a fashion designer.  She stressed to the graduates at the ceremony that if they want to be fashion designers, then the clothes that they wear must reflect good quality workmanship.  She emphasized to them that they must always do what they have been taught to do and not start doing processes their own way or taking shortcuts because they will make mistakes and their designs will be a failure.  She highlighted the need to be neat in everything - cutting threads and ironing seams, and if there is a need to unpick, then to unpick.  These simple rules will ensure that their business will grow.  They were also told to finish the work when they promised to, or people will not come back..

 

 

Ethel Mfeka: completed training in August 1998.

After training, Ethel joined her mother, and together they run a small sewing business doing alterations and making up orders from passing trade.  They work from a shack next to a taxi rank in their community.  They ‘rent’ electricity from the nearby shebeen (pub) and run an extension cord from it to their room.  Each evening they have to take their sewing machines and work home with them to avoid them being stolen. Ethel came and shared her story at the September 2004 graduation.