Knitting the fabric of her future
working for a foundation, working at the airport. They were all things that made me really happy and allowed me to interact with people all the time. Starting Kangamama didn’t really come from a yearning to do something new, it just naturally evolved into a company. It wasn’t like I had to make it happen, it happened organically,” she said.
The experience has been rewarding for Skaftouros, whose products have even caught the eye of President Jacob Zuma.
“Just the feeling of finishing a product, seeing how pleased people are when they pick it up and getting their feedback has been rewarding. Also, meeting the president on Friday (at WEF) and him currently owning one of my scarves was quite a moment for me,” she said.
The name Kangamama originally stemmed from kangaroo care with the baby wrap product but, as it evolved into what it is today, the name could not have been more fitting. “I was stumped and wondering if I should change the name. I began doing some research into what ‘kanga’ might mean in other African countries.
I found that in Lingala it means “a mother who keeps her child close” and in Malawi and other East African countries, it’s the fabric that ladies wear almost like a sari. Our president pointed out to me at WEF, that ‘khangiswa’ means ‘to show off ’ or ‘to put on display’ which pretty much sums up my company,” she said.
In terms of juggling being a mum and a business woman, Skaftouros said, “I have a 4-yearold and a 2-year-old who are both at home with me. I work from home and, as little as they are, I try to get them involved.
You can’t really strike a balance, balance means 50/ 50 and there’s no such thing when you have kids. I believe that parenting should always outweigh business. That’s why it’s important to find support. I’m looking to beef up
n’t matter how old you are to start something new – like I said, I was 33 when I started knitting. Who starts knitting at 33?” sheasked.
Five months ago, Skaftouros purchased a sewing machine for the first time in her life. “I had never used one before and I’m already making my own clothes. I just want my life to be an encouragement to others that it’s possible to learn something new and also turn it into something productive and profitable.”