Income Generating Programme
The Cape Town Refugee Centre aims to facilitate a process whereby refugee and asylum seeker women and men can become self-reliant through exposure to practical and technical skills training. Acquring these skills allows them to further integrate into the local community while pursing their business and professional aspirations.
From 2003 to 2004, over 100 women and men were trained by the centre. With the assistance of various training agencies, half of the trainees gained employment and numerous others became self-employed. As of 2008, less than 15 of those trainees were unemployed or had no stable jobs.
In 2005, more than 130 refugee and asylum seeker women and men were trained in a wide variety of skills. Since then, the Centre has been approached by 20 of the trainees who have expressed great interest in running income generating projects of their own.
Numerous individuals from the Income Generating Programme with already established small businesses are currently ready to expand their ventures. They have the intention of employing people from the same programme who have the necessary skills.
In order to fulfill this goal of enabling their businesses to expand and other trainees to become self-supportive, additional funds are needed to provide traders with financial assistance in the form of micro-loans. Click here if you are interested in lending your support to this programme.
Business Ventures
Lizzie Mutonono is an artist from Zimbabwe who is determined to continue making the handmade crafts she is so passionate about here in Cape Town, South Africa. Using her creativity, she hopes to spread the art of embroidery and crotchetting to others world-wide.
“After completing my schooling, I moved to Harare, Zimbabwe, where I boarded with a pastor and his wife. I met a woman who asked me if I could sew. Not knowing quite knowing what she meant, I said “yes.” She then gave me, 2 metres of hadenga material, a pair of scissors, tridalia cotton, and a sample of exactly what she wanted me to replicate. It was difficult but to my surprise I managed to do it. After that, I became interested in embroidering and handwork. I did not own or have access to a sewing machine. I worked hard and was able to buy some basic materials to start my projects.
In 2000 I had a vision and was inspired to produce some designs for fashion clothing, which were well received in Harare. Being the eldest sibling, I was financially responsible for my two siblings’ orphaned children (as they died of AIDS) as well as my two aging parents. Due to the depressed market and other problems in Zimbabwe, I traveled south to Cape Town in August of 2006, leaving my entire family and friends behind.
In Cape Town, I stay at the Heaven Light refugee centre in Wynberg. Initially, it was extremely difficult and lonely with no family or friends. I joined a local church, where I met a friend who encouraged me and helped to secure materials and outlets for my embroidery. I signed a contract with a clothing buyer at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Unfortunately my right eye went blind overnight in April 2007 due to a terrible migraine headache. After many examinations, they determined that one of my optic nerves had burst. This was devastating news, as I was unable to continue making fine, detailed embroidery.
In May of 2007 I met someone at Footprints Environmental Centre Recycling Depot who taught me to crotchet plastics handbags out of plastic papers. I found a ball of cotton strips at the shelter one night and said to myself, “I could make a nice bag out of this.” The next morning I showed my new idea to my teacher, and that’s where it all started. My friend from church encouraged me to make the cotton bags and found material off-cuts from a factory that are perfect for making these handbags, mats, and slippers.
The bags are unique and colorful and come in all different designs, shapes, and sizes. I have decided to give them meaningful Zimbabwean names such as Tariro (Hope), Rujeko (Vibrant), Ropajadzo (Blessing), and Chipo (Gift). I also have many embroidered crafts that I continue to sell. I am trading under the name RUJEKO, which means vibrant, and hope that I can find a regular outlet for my crafts and people that appreciate the beauty and skill that went into making them.
My vision and desire is to teach many people in Africa, and around the world, this dying art of hand embroidering and crotchet, thus empowering them to be self-sufficient, and to see these products sold and appreciated all over the world.”
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Take a look below at the handmade, crochet-woven bags that RUJEKO has to offer. These colorful bags vary in size, shape, color, design, and style. They can be custom made to suit your personal style and taste.
By purchasing RUJEKO products, you will be empowering a skilled artist to continue doing what she is passionate about: spreading her culture's art and craft work to people all over the world.
Click images below for a closer look.
If you are interested in purchasing any of Lizzie’s products, or are interested in carrying RUJECKO products in your store or shop, please contact the CTRC at
info@ctrc.co.za or by phone at
(021) 762-9670. You may also contact her directly at
rujekoproducts@gmail.com or by phone at
+27 73 721 2599. Thanks you for your interest in supporting refugee artists and crafts people.
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