Khumbulani Craft: Training, marketing and product development for Hlulani Glass Bead-Making project in Mpumalanga

This project aims to boost the skills of the women crafters of the Hlulani Glass Bead-Making project near the Kruger National Park who are using waste glass to create saleable products, by assisting them in diversifying their product ranges and producing higher quality crafts, thereby enabling them to benefit from more vibrant eco-tourism businesses.

Eight women are direct beneficiaries of this project, and have already benefited from skills transfer (skills in product development and running a small business) and income generation, although the latter will increase over time.

The overall project costs is R103,450, and two instalments have been received so far – R 24,17529 in November 2006 and R 24,17530 in March 2007, which means that R 48,350 is still to be received.

Project activities

a. Product development

Product development workshops were held on 27 Feb - 1 March 2007 and 16 April 2007. Visits by the product developer to monitor the group were made on 14 March, 2 April, 5 April and 19 April 2007.

The aim of the workshops was to introduce the crafters to new materials that could be utilized in the application of colour to the beads. Initially, the quality of the beads improved but the colours were restricted to light brown, light green, cobalt blue and grey-white.

The new application is applied as follows: after the beads are fired in the kiln, a coloured paste is rubbed into the beads and hand-varnished. Underglazes were also introduced to the group; underglazes are applied to the raw beads before firing and the colours are fired into the bead. Crafters were also introduced to materials from their environment to use in their products: seeds, dried guava as well as beans. The crafters were able to identify and select appropriate materials for production of craft. Crafters were again made aware of minimizing cost and maximizing quality. Crafters are constantly reminded of safety procedures.

Crafters made a wall hanging using the new colours as well as seeds, for a sample to be used for marketing purposes at the Khumbulani Craft office. The crafters are currently busy with two curtains using the same techniques, commissioned for a new lodge in Mozambique.

The problem with consistency as well as general quality of the beads is addressed by the Chairperson, Ms Adeline Mabunda. She, as well as a member of the group, Jane Mathebula, constantly monitor the quality of beads produced.

The next workshop scheduled for 2-3 May will look at the application of patterns on the beads. Members in the group are starting to build enough confidence to experiment with techniques – the members are producing their own rust to add to the glass to get a deeper brown colour.

The bead group was supplied with a portable small stand to exhibit their samples to potential clients. They also received laminated price lists as well as a laminated explanation of the project to assist with their own marketing. They will start marketing themselves as soon as the samples are completed. Dates will be forwarded when the members will visit possible clients. We are currently working on a brochure that will further assist the group with their own marketing.

b. Small business skills training

Small business skills workshops were held on 21-22 February, 6 March, 15 March, 19 March and 3 April 2007, covering the role and function of a group leader, methods of leadership and production planning. A report is available on request from the field trainer, Mandla Nkoana. The next module will include basic bookkeeping and quality control.

c. Operation of the project

The following areas of the project have been implemented and are ongoing:

• Materials have been purchased and continue to be purchased as required.
• Power supply has been cut at times, delaying bead production (see reasons above).
• Transport has been arranged as necessary to meet the project’s needs.
• Marketing and sales activities are being undertaken.
• Administration activities are ongoing.

Project expenditure

Key milestones in client orders

Challenges addressed

The problems experienced so far have included:

• Delays in obtaining electricity account. Eskom does cut the power supply to the farm if the account is not paid in time. The bead group shares electricity with an agricultural group on the farm which sometimes delays payment. The Chairperson of the farm is aware of the problem and will address the issue.
• Bead production was delayed at times due to power supply. The power generator at the farm had no support anchors and was damaged during a storm. Eskom repaired the damage.
• Individual group members do change. There were changes in membership as some members found more permanent job opportunities at lodges in the area, and others with newborn babies found it difficult to attend the programme regularly. The older members have taught new members the technical skills required, stressing the need to adhere to safety regulations. The new members are doing well – they are very positive and have learned the techniques rapidly.

Monitoring and evaluation

Khumbulani Craft’s field staff, Laurette van Zyl and Mandla Nkoana, monitor progress on a weekly basis by assessing each individual’s progress, quality of work produced, and understanding and implementation of small business skills transferred.

The weekly visits with the project participants are vitally important. In terms of the problem we wanted to address – recycling of waste material and income generation – we are achieving both. Although the impact is small at this stage, we are confident that it will increase over time.

Maintaining a high quality in the bead products is an important issue and we are happy with the progress being made by the women. Orders for the beads are slowly increasing and it is hoped that additional techniques to embellish the beads and product development will lead to increased sales. Expected life changes include skills transfer and income generation.

Conclusions

We feel that this project definitely provides a good return to investors. The project has a positive environmental return, since it uses recycled waste products from luxury game farms around which the women involved in the project live. In terms of the country’s priorities, job creation / income generation being among them, the project empowers at least eight women (with a generally accepted dependency rate of 8:1) to improve their lives.

Our ultimate objective is to assist the group to become a small, sustainable and independent enterprise. The extent of our assistance will be assessed on an annual basis but it is likely that we will be involved for at least three years. Transport is a major constraint, but we believe that the development of infrastructure is a government responsibility.

It is hoped that SASIX will consider future funding requirements – if not, we will need to seek support elsewhere if required.