Nompilo Lupupa is the sewing project’s manager. “We started the project in February 2020 because we could see that many deaf women were staying at home with nothing to do,” she said. “We wanted to start a project that could help them earn some income for themselves and for their families.”
“The parish had donated a lot of old denim jeans and we started making bags for women from these denim jeans.” Deaf Hands was the name chosen for the sewing project. “It is with our hands that we Deaf people communicate with one another but it is also with our hands that we display our creative skills and talents,” Nompilo explained.
“We are making embroidered bags, place mats, aprons for the kitchen, shirts and dresses, cushion covers, centre pieces and table clothes.”
“The big challenge during the pandemic was finding people to buy the items we make,” Nompilo said, “thankfully the diocese has opened a Catholic shop in Manzini called Good Sam. Some of our goods and wares are displayed and sold from the shop.”
“It is our hope,” she continued, “to increase our income so that we can realise the dream to include more Deaf women in the project. We would also be able to expand into knitting school jerseys for school children, hairdressing and nail care too. The more that Deaf women can benefit, the better.”