Blankets from Africa

www.blankets-from-africa.shopstar.co.za

Blankets from Africa (BFA) was born out of a road-trip through the Karoo, which I, Roslyn Bechet made some years ago.

Referred by an eccentric retired attorney who runs an equally eccentric nursery in Graaff Reinet, my first insight to the poverty and desperation of women was meeting a real-life ‘Karoo Angel’, Auntie Evelyn – who operates an orphanage in Nieuw Bethesda. All Auntie Evelyn asks is for visitors to her orphanage to purchase a meal at her simple but clean restaurant to help meet the costs of feeding and keeping a roof over the heads of the young children for whom she cares. This need arose out of the crippling level of unemployment in and around what used to be thriving towns and villages in the Karoo. When the modern railway engines roared through these places instead of stopping off to deliver or to collect cargo or passengers, these towns were slowly strangled of their economic lives. Unemployment levels, especially amongst rural women quickly rose to above 90% – leaving some of them with the sad option of producing children in order to qualify for additional government grants, meagre though these grants were. These children were not properly cared for – not because of intentional neglect – simply out of pure poverty.

The visit to Nieuw Bethesda and the revelations of poverty and compassion whichI witnessed first-hand produced rapid thought and consequences.

I spent the rest of my road-trip meeting and talking to other locals in surrounding Karoo towns and was constantly reminded of the story which tells of teaching someone to fish rather than simply providing them with a fish.

An exceptional knitter myself, I designed a simple pattern for baby blankets, sourced export-quality pure Merino wool and set out to up-skill unemployed rural women to knit these blankets to a standard which I could then label and market to the world.

‘Blankets from Africa’ was born and to date has between almost 35 ladies, primarily located around Graaf Reinet and outside Port Elizabeth, producing blankets and more recently introduced homeware throws, bed-ends and apparel. These knitters are paid by Blankets from Africa on a weekly basis – their monthly incomes potentially more than 10 times what they had previously been scraping out a living for themselves and their families.

All of these families have seen their lives change significantly – not only with the increase in monthly income but also with the social benefits of self-improvement, community engagement and a sense of self-worth.

‘Blankets from Africa’ products are sold via online stores, their own online site and a handful of small retail outlets. ‘Kamers Makers’ have been supporters of ‘Blankets from Africa’ from the very beginning and helped establish the brand which is increasingly known, recognised and sought out both locally and abroad.

‘Blankets from Africa’ is also linked to and supported by one of Ros’ other business interests, ‘Ava Secrets’ – a range of ecologically healthy feminine hygiene products. Both these operations recognise the critical need for the improvement of and support for the women of South Africa.