Ntobeko Cele representing: Gail Olga Sink

South Africa

Aid to Artisans South Africa Trust

Pondo Beadwork

Beaded walking sticks, men’s vests or waistcoats, and billy cans purses, are all part of traditional Pondo dress made by women. The beaders who make these items live in the rural villages surrounding the Port St. Johns area of Transkei, South Africa. Beading skills are passed on from mother to daughter, and all garments and objects are hand-beaded using beads imported into the country. Gail Sink, a textile designer, created Pondo People, a women-run company, to create employment for rural women in the area when a decline in mining meant that very little money was flowing in to the area. It now employs 20 women.