Masa Soko runs a beading and crochet workshop with women and youth from Lwandle of Cape Town, South Africa. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Knowledge Sharing Through Art

The project was about teaching beadwork and crochet to people of Lwandle. After the world was hit with COVID-19, many people were let go from work and left without any way to generate income for themselves. Promoting empowerment and poverty alleviation, the workshops were a way to teach people to work with their hands and to produce products that could be displayed at the museum. It was also a way to educate people about beads and crafts as a skill-development and knowledge-sharing opportunity. Additionally, it was a skill-transfer from older to young generations to bridge the generational gap and to get women to talk and share with each other. 

The workshops started in February 2022 with 30 participants, but had a total reach of 60 participants, some of whom were inspired to open small business using their new skills. The participants were eager to learn and to share their work with the community at large. The project produced earrings, bangles, bags, hats, scarfs and other goods and all of them were produced by the women and youth of Lwandle. 

 

 

 

"Finally, women can be able to leave the house and do something productive with their time, something that will [leave] a legacy for their kids to inherit as well." - Workshop Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience

Masa was a participant in the IVLP Project Fundraising for Historical and Cultural Institutions before COVID-19 and in the Present, organized by the U.S. Department of State and CRDF Global.

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually

San Francisco, CA; Orlando, FL; Detroit, MI; Charleston, NC; New York City, NY

"The IVLP was a very good experience. The knowledge that I have gained is incredible and I have been using it to uplift my community and to create unity. It is also for promoting love for art, heritage and history." - Masa Soko

 

Country: South Africa

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