Travellers’ tales
Jabu Mtembu does beadwork with Woza Moya, a project of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, which aims to empower people infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS to become self-sufficient, by producing crafts in their own environments. Photo: Matthew Willman/OxfamAUS
Little Travellers may be small, but they have made a big difference to the lives of many South African women living with HIV.
If the Little Traveller dolls on the shelves in Oxfam shops could talk they would each have an interesting story to tell.
One of them could tell of Thandiwe Chamane who, four years ago, arrived at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust in Durban, South Africa, gravely ill and facing homelessness. There she joined a group of men and women who make these tiny beaded dolls, among other handcrafts, and her life changed course.
For Thandiwe and other crafters involved in Hillcrest’s Woza Moya income generation project, the 5cm dolls have put food on the table, a roof over their head, provided education for their children, and much needed medical care.
“They are small, but they have made a big difference to my family,” Thandiwe says.
“I was dying when I started making them; I was so sick and I had nothing to live for. When I started making the dolls, I started getting money and am feeling better. I now have a house, my children are going to school and I have a reason to live.”
Each of the colourful Little Travellers is as unique as its creator, coming with its own passport in which its owner can document the doll’s travels. There are Rastas, Zulu warriors, and “gogos” (grandmothers), as well as new bride and groom travellers. One crafter, Ester Sibisi, plans to make supporter dolls for all the countries that will visit South Africa for the 2010 World Cup.
The first Little Travellers were made in 2003 and sold locally in flea markets, conferences and schools to provide an income for crafters and raise money for Hillcrest’s programs for people affected by HIV and AIDS, which include testing, counselling, home-based care, feeding schemes, respite care, food gardens and HIV and AIDS education. So far more than 40,000 Little Travellers have been sold around the world, raising more than $200,000.
Hillcrest’s Woza Moya project provides clients with skills training and income-generating opportunities in beadwork, wirework, ceramics, fabric painting, papermaking, crochet and sewing to enable them to be more self-sufficient and have a more positive outlook on life. It currently works with more than 100 crafters.
Photo: Matthew Willman/Oxfam
Craft Coordinator Paula Thomson says the project has helped people regain hope and dignity by encouraging them to use their creativity to earn an income and support themselves and their families.
“Each [piece] has a story about the person who made it and the journey that the beads have weaved for them,” Ms Thomson says. “I love working with the crafters, seeing the new things they make and watching them grow and blossom into powerful strong beings.”
It seems there is no end to how far Little Travellers can go. Today, they have their own blog where customers can upload stories and pictures from around the world. They have also inspired an exhibition at Durban Art Gallery and a documentary film and even featured on the catwalk at Durban Fashion Week.
Oxfam Shop has been stocking the Little Travellers since 2005 and has recently added new “runaway bride and groom” travellers to its range. The shops also stock several other Woza Moya beaded products including giraffe statues, AIDS pins and handmade cards.
And, as well as being one of our shop partners, Hillcrest is also one of our long-term development partners. We have been supporting the centre to provide HIV education and prevention programs in schools since 2005.
You can find the Little Travellers and other Woza Moya products in Oxfam Shops throughout Australia or in our online store.
Authors: Joe Cropp and Linda Chalmers
Conditions of use
When you contribute content to our site, you retain ownership of the copyright. You also grant permission to Oxfam Australia to display and distribute your content, and to use it for any promotional purpose, without remuneration, compensation, or payment of royalties.
In addition, you are responsible for the content of your material. Oxfam Australia takes no responsibility for the content of any messages or information posted by contributors.
Oxfam Australia retains the right, in our sole discretion, to review, edit or delete any material which we deem to be illegal, offensive or otherwise inappropriate.
