Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Stitching together a better future
AT HER factory of hope, Audrey Morkel is stitching pieces of hearts back together this Valentine’s Day in order to give back and empower women in Bonteheuwel.
After escaping an abusive marriage, Morkel channelled her torment into creative growth that enabled her to partner up with Ikamva Labantu and used a house container at her home so that she could put the skills she acquired from spending years in the clothing industry to good use.
“When I was a young girl, I always used to sketch on fabric and wanted to be an artist when I grew up. Due to circumstances, I was unable to live out my dream. My first job was at Rex Trueform, as a machinist, where I received training at their training school. After I became a qualified machinist, I worked in their factory as a sample hand,” said Morkel.
While she would have loved her life
to be stitched to the T, her journey took a different path when she got married at the age of 20 and experienced 30 years of emotional and verbal abuse.
“Accusations and jealousy were the root of the problem. I decided that I could not go on any longer and, with the help of God, I took a stand and claimed my life back. I was robbed of life. Not being able to live it to the fullest, being afraid and falling for the manipulation of the abuser’s saying they’re sorry and it won’t happen again.
“Now I wake up feeling ready to tackle the day with renewed strength and hope. I’m focused on moving forward in life with gratitude as to where I am in life with a positive mindset and attitude. This all accumulated due to the fact that I know who I am and what I want in life,” she said.
As Morkel manages and also does the creative work at the factory, the flourishing enterprise sees her operating an industrial plain machine where she employs women who assist with stitching, ironing, and other tasks, helping them to empower themselves and help them to be more self-sufficient.
Head of Ikamva Labantu’s Seniors’ Programme, Melanie Peterhans, said that Audrey’s factory stands as a testament not only to her vision, but her resilience and need to share skills with other women.
“With Morkel being the main seamstress that trains seniors and other women, as a big stumbling block for a lot of entrepreneurs is marketing, we are doing that to give Morkel the support and flow she requires,” said Peterhans.
With the best-sellers in the Ikamva Design range including bread baskets, table runners, Christmas trims, oven gloves ad bags, most of the products are made out of colourful shweshwe cloth.
“It’s my dream come true. My aim was that I wanted to be a trainer for the trainers and to start something small to create jobs for other people.
“As I come out of an abusive relationship where I had low self-esteem, I want to enable other people to also realise their talents and grow,” said Morkel.