| Mothers Creations |
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Mothers’ Creations, an income generation project of mothers2mothers was started in 2002 to empower women participating in m2m by encouraging them to become economically independent. New mothers living with HIV, many of whom are the sole providers for their families, are trained in beading skills and design to produce high quality beadwork, which is marketed all around the world. Mothers Creations buys the beaded items from the women and then markets the items to vendors all over the world. The program fosters independence and self-reliance by assisting the mothers to open bank accounts and offering basic financial management training. Through their experiences with Mothers’ Creations, women gain the confidence and independence essential to their survival as women living with HIV. Mothers’ Creations is run entirely for the benefit of its workers. Mothers involved with the project are also encouraged to continue to seek health care services for themselves and for their children in a continuation of mothers2mothers’ work. Our Track RecordWe are proud that the resulting income earned by our mothers has changed many of their lives. In its five years of operation, Mothers’ Creations has paid out nearly R4 million ($575,000) to participating beaders. Our current payroll is nearly R30,000 ($4,300) per month. We have a regular pool of 65 beaders, and can access a network of up to 175 additional beaders to help with larger orders. Women who choose to bead full-time can make as much as R500 ($70) a week, which helps pay for food, clothing, medicine, and shelter for their families. So far, more than 20 of our beaders have used income from Mothers’ Creations to buy their own homes, and several others have bought taxis or started up other business ventures.The Mother of Mothers CreationsMothers' Creations is the inspiration of a remarkable woman, Tuffy Kirsten, who brought it to life and has managed it since its inception. A white South African, Tuffy was raised on a farm in the rural Eastern Cape where her first language was Xhosa and the local African children were her earliest playmates and friends. It was from them that she learned the traditional crafting skills that are the heart of Mothers' Creations. Click to read more about Tuffy. Mothers Creations in the SpotlightThe beadwork of Mothers' Creations has received international attention. Celebrities like Bono and Beyonce have visited our sites and learned beading skills from our women. U.S. First Lady Laura Bush watched as a group of mothers put the finishing touches on beaded items which Mrs. Bush then brought home to the White House. Designer and retailer Kenneth Cole reacted even more strongly when he visited the women of Mothers' Creations. He spent more than two hours working with the beaders, looking at their designs and sketching new designs of his own. Mr. Cole, a longstanding supporter of HIV/AIDS causes who is the Board Chair of AmfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research), then took things to the next level: He bought thousands of lanyards to sell in his stores during the holiday season in 2005. Through retail displays, the stores also spread the story of mothers2mothers and Mothers' Creations. Ordering from Mothers’ CreationsMothers’ Creations items are available at selected fine craft stores throughout Cape Town. We sell directly only in quantities of 20 or more. We also accept specialised orders for custom designs for special occasions, corporate gifts etc. Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . |
