The Sopangisa brothers (Siyanda and Akhona) have introduced weaving, as the latest activity, in Khayelitsha.
The brothers have placed Khayelitsha on the map, with their biochar project.
They initially met thrice a week, to remove aquatic alien invasive hyacinth from a nearby Wetland. Once removed, the plants are dried up and turned into Biochar.
On an average day, Siyanda Sopangisa says, up to 25 liters of hyacinth, can be stored up, ready to be transformed.
In addition to this, the pair, display their center’s activities to visitors. They initiated the Khayelitsha Canoe Club in 2013, to teach children swimming and canoeing skills.
This is also fun for daycare learners, who get to do more than listen to the benefits of the project.
Lately, Amazing Africa, a tour group, has lived up to its name, by donating a weaving machine to the project.
Siya Sopangisa said “we have known Amazing Africa, since 2016.
They are one of our tour operators who bring visitors.”
Now that the machine has arrived, the idea is to create a weaving business, to get ladies from the community to do the work, we are starting with 1 or 2.
Sopangisa said the medium-term goal is to make blankies and mats, but they are heavily investing in training the ladies on how to use the machine first.
Once this is done, the rest will follow.
Picture: Supplied