Thandwa Tengo tastes success
Teresa Opperman
Thandwa Tengo, a skinny young mother of only 34, lives in Lingelihle in Cradock. Her mother is an ardent seamstress, and she grew up among the lovely brightly coloured Sheshwe fabrics. Her mother always gave her some offcuts to play with. These days that would be called recycling, because what should have landed in the trash can, landed in Thandwa’s lap.
After finishing school at Cradock High in 2007, Thandwa worked at a hair salon as an assistant in Cradock and in Jeffrey’s Bay, but she was not happy, and knew that hairdressing was not her calling. “It was just a job,” she says. “I wanted to work with children, and I soon found an orphanage, Seventh Heaven, who was willing to give me a chance to work with children."
During her time at the orphanage, Thandwa completed a course with the Leadership Experience in Jeffrey’s Bay, and afterward went to Ywam (Youth with a Mission) in Port Elizabeth where she completed her discipleship training in 2020. She was then placed to serve the Lord in Port St Johns where she worked with learners from different schools and was later transferred by Ywam to Muizenberg in Cape Town. After completion of her Ywam experiences, Thandwa returned home to Cradock, where she had the calling to teach crafts to children while living the Ywam vision.
In August last year, Thandwa made contact with Hofmeyr Hugs of Hope, a skills development association in Hofmeyr, about 60km from Cradock. She gave a brief description of her dreams and her talents, and Hugs asked her to complete the Head, Heart, and Hand chart to determine what her interests are. Hugs drew her into their training and skills development sessions and proceeded to supply her with the necessary equipment to start her own little business, which she currently runs from her cottage at Nkonjane Street in Lingelihle. “It is a very small space, but I live and work there, because that is all I can do,” she says. “I love it when people, especially children, drop by to do crafts with me, and the thrill it gives me to experience their happiness gives me a reason to carry on!”
In February, Thandwa completed the Asset Based Community Development training presented by Ikhala Trust, with the assistance of Hofmeyr Hugs of Hope and Victoria Manor, and passed with flying colours. At this training session she brought along some of her craft work, priced and ready to sell: earrings, recycled bottles, beadwork and backpacks and bags made from recycled maize flour bags.
“I sold quite a few sets of beaded earrings and received more orders. My backpacks, made from recycled maize flour bags, caught the eye of the hotel owner, Lisa Ker, and she wanted me to put out a few on a table in the dining room for visitors to see,” says Thandwa. “During training I also met up with other creative souls, and we exchanged many tips. I am not ashamed to say that I now spend my Saturdays at various rubbish dumps, around Lingelihle, to collect stuff to recycle.
“I was so lucky to sell a backpack to an overseas tourist who was visiting Victoria Manor, and one of my bags went to
Thandwa says that success is a series of small steps, taking every step slowly and securely, with her dream as vision.
Switzerland, with a promise of many more orders of these typical South African bags made from recycled maize bags. My bags travelled to Australia, and I have had some enquiries as well. I am currently fusing plastic, using pieces of torn plastic bag, and then I sew shopping bags, handbags and cosmetic bags from these. Hugs of Hope assists with the zips, thread and fabrics I use for linings, and I currently have a very small sewing machine, donated by Hugs, on which I do all my sewing. My biggest dream is an old industrial sewing machine which sits unused in someone’s house. But I know when the time is right, my dreams will become reality,” she says.
Thandwa says that success is a series of small steps, taking every step slowly and securely, with her dream as vision.