The name of this “economic upliftment” project means, to make progress. Celia de Villiers, a quilt artist and arts professor, helped form this group to help alleviate dire poverty in the Township of Etwatwa. There are about 30 unemployed women (all single) and 2 teenage boys, one of whom is an AIDS orphan, who help by making some of the drawings. The designs on the cotton squares are unique and are bought for quilt blocks, to sew into totes or cushions. Each square is ecologically friendly and is hand embroidered using hand-dyed silk threads on pure African cotton. It's vital to support the African cotton industry that struggles to survive due to trade subsidies in other countries.
I spent a memorable afternoon visiting this circle of embroiderers to learn about their lives and the importance of this work to their basic existence. In this very poor Township there is no work for elderly grandmothers and mothers.

I delivered bags of embroidery floss that was collected by women’s groups in Canada and they in turn surprised me with a gift of a hand-embroidered wall hanging. The women sang me a song of appreciation in 5-part harmony. There is something profoundly moving in the strong voices of African women in chorus and it was hard to hold back my tears. The hanging depicts the Intuthuko Groups sitting together, sewing. I'll be posting a video of this event.

The group has won various prizes for their collective quilts and hangings including the prestigious FNB (First National Bank) Vita Crafts Award for their Journey to Freedom embroideries celebrating10 Years of Democracy in South Africa. Please watch the VIDEO animation of the embroidery showing the ending of apartheid.

Scarf for National Walk
Intuthuko helped make 7,000 brightly colored scarves for the National Walk organized by the Grandmothers-to-Grandmothers of Canada who walked in solidarity with African Grandmothers on 12 June 2010. I was pleased to facilitate this scarf project, which created significant income for Intuthuko and another sewing group called Women for Peace. This photo shows Grandmother Sanna wearing one of the scarves.

In June 2010 the group was finalizing the process of re-organizing themselves into a co-operative.