Meet the faces behind this initiative, read their real-life stories and get involved.
Anabela – When we first met Anabela a couple of years ago she was extremely withdrawn and suffered from anxiety and depression. Over the past few years she has come alive with purpose and her creativity has bloomed.
Anabela has 5 children. Her two grownup children live with family, and her other three children aged 13, 9 and 6 are here with her. “I love crocheting best” she tells me with a shy smile. We’re so proud of how far she has come!
Angeline – “My name is Angeline. I haven’t been able to see my children for a few years. They are 8 and 4 years old. I sent my oldest to stay with family when they were 4 years old and the youngest at age 2. I miss them a lot, but it is easier to work and make money when I know they are being looked after at home. I love sewing and can sew with a sewing machine.”
Chipo – “My name is Chipo. Being a part of the Rare Bear Project for the past 5 years has allowed me to be able to pay for school fees for my 15 year old. It also means I can pay rent for my home and groceries to feed my other two children who are 8 and 5 years old. I love making the sheep Rare Bear most of all.”
Codester – “My name is Codester. I have 3 children. My eldest is 6 and is in school. My little one is three months old and was born during lockdown at Coronation hospital.” Codester’s little boy has the most beautifully expressive eyes. Codester is a star crocheter and her animals are always meticulously made. She tells me her favourite one to make is a unicorn.
Elina – “My name is Elina . I have 2 children – a 5 year old and almost 2 year old. I am also pregnant again! I was going to school, but when I was in grade 7 my mother died and I had to go back home. I got married when I was 15, and had my first baby at 16. I’m 21 now and back working hard to earn some money.”
Lidia – “I have 6 children. They are 18, 16, 13, 10, 8, and 2.” Lidia is one of our most vulnerable ladies with a big load on her shoulders. “Of my children suffer from epilepsy. My eldest son who is 18 didn’t speak after he had his
first seizure – he was 4 years old. Only a few years ago, when we were able to get him some medication, did he improve a little bit. He gets violent when he is hungry and there is no food. I didn’t know that my 8 year old daughter also had epilepsy until a few weeks ago.”
Linet – “My name is Linet. I have 6 children. My eldest is at 15 and stays with me, then I have 3 children with my parents – my youngest 2 are with me as well – they are 2.5 and 1.5 . Our children will go to my family when they are old enough. I want to be able to work hard to give them the best life.”
Loice – “My name is Loice.” Loice was another one of our ladies who joined in 2015 and then went back home for years only to return this year because of difficult economic times. “I need to earn money for food and school fees back home. My children are living with my husband’s mother. The schools are now closed because of Covid19. It’s a difficult time.”
Mavis N – “My name is Mavis. I have three children aged 10, 8, and 1. I last saw all my family 11 years ago. All my children live here with me though. During lockdown when there was no school it was difficult to keep all the children happy in a small space. I did a lot of shouting” come here, don’t do that!” I am glad that the schools have opened up again.”
Mollene – “My name is Mollene. I have three children, 11, 8 and 5 and they all live with my mother. My mother taught me how to crochet when I was young, and I’d make the things she used to make, like tablecloths and doilies and mats and jerseys. When I joined the Rare Bear Project I learned I can make other things as well like different animals. I love crocheting and finding new things to make.”
Mufaro – “My name is Mufaro and I have 3 children. My 12 and 8 year old stay with my parents and my youngest is one and a half. She loves to copy me and takes a crochet hook and wool and tries to also crochet, it is very cute. I’ve been part of the Rare Bear Project since 2015 and from the money I earn through crocheting I've been able to pay school fees and send food and stationary home to my other children who live with my mother.”
Nozipho – “My name is Nozipho. My children are 18, 10 and 3 years old.” Nozipho and her son look lovely dressed up for Heritage day this year and she is proudly South African. “I love sewing clothes and I know how to use a sewing machine.” She tells me she has one at home – but it is a manual one because there is no electricity in
her shack.
Progeny – “My name is Progeny. I have three children. My 12 and 8 year old live with their grandparents and my youngest daughter will be 2 at the end of the year. She lives here with me.” Prog is one of our leaders among the ladies. Prog tells me she is most proud of herself and who she has become. She’s proud to be a part of the Rare Bear Project and of the group of ladies here.
Regina – “My name is Regina. I've been a part of the Rare Bear Project for 5 years now. When we first learned how to crochet we made lots of mistakes and the animals looked funny, but now we do really good work. I have three children aged 7, 4 and 2 months. My dream is to become a preschool teacher and do a course that will allow me to learn how to become an educator.”
Rumbidzai – “My name is Rumbidzai. I have two children, 8 and 5 years old who are both with my parents. I haven't seen them in over a year now. It is better that they are at home with my family so that I am free and able to work to earn money to support them. Besides crocheting for Rare Bears I also have piece work some days. I send money home for school fees and food for my children.”
Ruth Sabiti – “My name is Ruth. I am a grandmother of 4 and a mother to 5 children who range between 32 years and 9 years. They all live far from me. I learned to crochet with the Rare Bear group in 2016. Being a part of this group allows me the opportunity to earn money to buy groceries to send back to my family.”
Ruth Simango – “My name is Ruth. My children are 27, 22 and 16. I never had the opportunity to go to school to read and write. I wanted my children to have a better life than me and to be able to read and write and get jobs. I used to knit doilies and jerseys and table cloths before joining the project. I like baking scones and bread.”
Samantha – “My name is Samantha . My 4 year old daughter is with my parents and I just gave birth to little Clark on the 15th of August in Coronation Hospital. He has already gained 2 kg in the past 2 months. He’s a good baby and sleeps during the day… but not so much at night! I miss my daughter. I haven’t seen her since 2017. She stays with my mom.”
Shelter – “My name is Shelter and I'm the mother of 4. In 2019 my family doubled in size when I gave birth to twins. I didn't know I was having twins until later in my pregnancy and was very surprised, shocked, but happy. After the girls were born it was a very tiring time because I was breastfeeding and I lost a lot of weight quickly trying to keep them fed. I had to supplement their feeding with formula. They are a year now and starting to walk which is good because I get tired carrying them both.”
Sylvia – “My name is Sylvia, I am a mother of 5 children. They are 17, 12, 9, 7 and the little one is 11 months. Only the baby is here with me, the others live with my mother. I haven’t seen them for 2 years now. I also love cooking. My favourites to make are pap and chips with beans and vegetables.”
Tendai – “My name is Tendai. My 10 and 5 year old live with my parents and I just had a new baby girl a month ago. She was born at Coronation Hospital. The doctor did a c-section but I don’t know why, they just told me they had to take the baby out that way. I plan to go back to visit my family and show them the new baby as soon as I can.”
Tshifiwa – “My name is Tshifhiwa. I have two children aged 7 and 3 years old. When I was a child growing up I used to want to be a nurse. Now I am just a nurse to my children because every mother has to be a nurse as well. My favourite thing to do is cooking. I love cooking pap and meat for my family.”
Veronica – “My name is Veronica, my first baby, a little girl was born at Diepsloot Clinic during the heavy lockdown 3 months ago. Everything went well and I wasn’t afraid because God is my helper. Shinga taught me how to crochet 5 months ago and I joined the Rare Bear group. Making the giraffe is my favourite.”
Vimbai – “My name is Vimbai. I have two children. My son is 12 and lives with his uncle in Pretoria and I stay in Kya Sands with my daughter who is 4. All my family could do to earn a little money was grow crops. If there were no rains, or too much rain, and the crops failed we would have no other backup plans. Coming to Johannesburg I can work and earn money and not have to rely on crops.”
Zodwa – Zodwa joined our program years ago, and then went back to her family when her youngest was a baby.
“What I didn’t realise when I travelled back was that I was pregnant again. I told my husband I thought something was wrong with my digestive system because things were moving around. I had a young baby and was breastfeeding and didn’t even think I could be pregnant. My baby was born at home and now I’ve just come back a month ago. I love helping people and want to make a difference.”
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